How to identify Puffball Mushroom

To correctly identify Puffball Mushroom (Lycoperdon perlatum), check each of these features in order. Misidentification is the most common cause of mushroom poisoning, so cross-reference multiple sources.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Cap

   Shape, color, surface texture, and diameter.

   Puffball mushrooms do not have a distinct cap like many other mushrooms. Instead, the entire fruiting body is enclosed in a skin-like outer layer called the peridium.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   Puffball mushrooms do not have gills. Instead, they produce spores internally within the fruiting body.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   Puffball mushrooms typically do not have a distinct stem. The fruiting body is often attached directly to the substrate.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   The flesh of young puffballs is white and firm. As the mushroom matures, the flesh turns yellowish or greenish-brown and eventually becomes powdery.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   The fruiting body is typically round or pear-shaped, ranging from small to medium in size.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Puffball mushrooms are commonly found in meadows, fields, and deciduous woodlands. They often grow on the ground or on decaying wood.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Smooth or slightly textured

Growth Form

Globose or pear-shaped

Spore Print

Olive-brown

Body color

White when young, turning yellowish or brownish with age

Odor

Mild or mushroomy

Flesh bruises

Does not typically bruise

Height

Variable, typically 2-10 cm

Cap Diameter

Variable, typically 2-10 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: No gills
• Stem shape: Absent or rudimentary
• Stem surface: N/A
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: N/A

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