Lycoperdon excipuliforme

Taxonomy

This puffball has been variously placed in the genera Bovista, Handkea, Calvatia, and Utraria. In 1989, German mycologist Hanns Kreisel described the genus Handkea to include species of Calvatia that had distinct microscopic features: Handkea species had a unique type of capillitium (coarse thick-walled hyphae in the gleba), with curvy slits instead of the usual pores. Although accepted by some authors, the genus concept has been rejected by others.

Phylogenetic analyses published in 2008 shows that Handkea may be grouped in a clade along with species from several other genera, including Lycoperdon, Vascellum, Morganella, Bovistella, and Calvatia. Published in the same year, another DNA analysis of the structure of ITS2 rDNA transcript confirmed that H. utriformis is closely related to Lycoperdon echinatum.

Description

Like all puffballs, Lycoperdon excipuliforme has a gasteroid basidiocarp, meaning the spores are produced internally, and are only released as the mature fruiting body ages and dries, or is broken. Young puffballs are typically 6 to across, white, or pale grey-brown; The underside of the puffball is attached to the ground by a root-like assemblage of hyphae called a rhizomorph.

Distribution and habitat

Common and widespread from late summer until autumn. The pestle puffball grows singly or in small groups in soil in both coniferous and broadleaf woodland and on short grassland.

Edibility

This fairly large puffball is edible only when the spore-bearing flesh is young and white. The taste and odour are unremarkable, and very similar to the giant puffball, but the flesh is not quite as firm and the outer skin should be removed.

References

References

1. Kreisel H. (1989). "Studies in the ''Calvatia'' complex (basidiomycetes)". Nova Hedwigia.
2. (1995). "British puffballs, earthstars and stinkhorns: an account of the British gasteroid fungi". Royal Botanic Gardens.
3. (2008). "Phylogenetic relationships among species and genera of Lycoperdaceae based on ITS and LSU sequence data from north European taxa". Mycological Research.
4. (2008). "Secondary structure of ITS2 rRNA provides taxonomic characters for systematic studies—a case in Lycoperdaceae (Basidiomycota)". Mycological Research.
5. "California Fungi: ''Handkea utriformis''".
6. Agerer. (2002). "Rhizomorph structures confirm the relationship between Lycoperdales and Agaricaceae (Hymenomycetes, Basidiomycota)". Nova Hedwigia.
7. [http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/lycoperdon-excipuliformis.php First Nature] {{Webarchive. link. (2012-03-26 Retrieved : 2011-09-05)
8. Phillips R. (2006). "Mushrooms". Pan MacMillan.
9. [http://www.guernsey.net/~cdavid/botany/files/handkea%20excipuliformis/index.html H. excipuliformis] Retrieved : 2011-09-08