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Key 7
Gastromycetes
(True Puffballs)
Does the young puffball cut in half show firm purple to
purple-brown gleba; often a thick outer skin?
Yes................No |
Does the young puffball cut in half show a firm white
gleba; usually a thin outer skin?
Yes................No |
Is it club-shaped, stalk not separated from sac;
gleba composed of numerous chambers?
or
Does it have a spherical to oval spore sac on a
cylindrical stalk, gleba homogenous throughout?
Yes ................
No |
Does the gleba in cross-section consist only of small
chambers (use hand lens); stalk is absent?
or
Is the gleba in section with branched, sterile, buff
flesh; fruiting body with an obvious stalk?
Yes ................
No |
If none of the above can be answered,
Yes, you do not appear to have a puffball. Make sure you do not
have a young Amanita! Click
to go back to Key 1 |
Is the fruiting body 1" - 2.5" broad; outer
skin splitting into lobes, but never curving back like an earthstar?
Yes |
Is the fruiting body 1.5" - 6" broad; outer
skin splitting into lobes like an earthstar? .....................
........... ............................
Yes |
Is the skin covered with warts?
Yes |
You have a Scleroderma
aurantium |
You have a Scleroderma
bovista |
Is the outer skin cracked and rough?
Yes |
Is the outer skin smooth? .....................................
Yes |
You have a Scleroderma
geaster |
You have a Scleroderma
flavidum |
Is it pear-shaped with sterile base, less than
3-inches?
Yes |
Is it round, oval or if pear-shaped, or less than
3-inches?
Yes |
Is the outer skin light brown, smooth or few hairs on
top?
Yes |
Is the skin covered with spines of hairs; does not grow
on wood?
Yes |
You have a Lycoperdon
candidum |
Is the outer skin pure white to dark brown? .................
.................... ................................
Yes |
Is the outer skin dull whitish, covered with pointed
spines which break off and leave round spots?
Yes |
Is the outer skin light to dark brown, covered with
long whitish coarse hairs?
Yes |
Is the outer skin white to dark dingy brown with short
separated hairs .................
Yes |
You have a Lycoperdon
echinatum |
You have a Lycoperdon
umbrinum |
You have a Lycoperdon
perlatum |
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