A user-friendly point-and-click key to the
 M
ushrooms of North America
(Copyright©1998-2003 Edward J. Polasek)

Home
Up
About the Key
Glossary
Key 1
Key 2
Key 3
Key 4
Key 5
Key 6
Key 8
Key 9
Key 10

 

Key 7

Gastromycetes
(True Puffballs - continued)

 

Is it larger than a baseball, usually like a basketball?

Yes

Is it softball size or smaller? .......   .............................

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it usually 4" - 8", cracked to form irregular scales?

Yes

Is it very large - 8" - 10"? ..........   ....................

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Calvatia lepidophora

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is the pouter skin sculptured, cracked in large flat scales, dull white; grows in the West?

Yes

Is the outer skin nearly smooth? .........................   ......  ...............   .......................... ...............................

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Calvatia booniana

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Calvatia gigantea

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it grapefruit too softball size?

Yes

Is it usually not over 2.5" to 6"?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is the skin covered with nearly flat warts?

Yes

Is the skin nearly smooth, wrinkled to minutely cracked?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Scleroderma subsculpta

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Calvatia cyathiformis

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is the puffball golf ball size?

Yes

Is the puffball <1" in most cases?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it round with paper thin skin, very light, easily detached and blown away?

Yes

Is it round to oval, not paper thin; remains attached?  ...................  ................................

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Bovista pila

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it smoky-gray, smooth; odor disagreeable? .............................  .................................

Yes

Is it chalky-white, covered with small pointed gray-tipped warts: no odor?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Calvatia fumosa

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Calvatia subcretacea

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it dull white; smooth outer wall persistent; pore formed in age?   ....................................  ..................  ..........................

Yes

Is it chalky white, covered with small pointed pure white warts; pieces of outer skin cracking and falling?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Lycoperdon pusillum

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Lycoperdon candidum

 

Top

 

 

Please report any broken links to: cyberschroom@yahoo.com

Copyright©1998-2003 Edward J. Polasek
All Rights Reserved