Apioperdon pyriforme
Table of Contents
Common Names: Stump Puffball, Pear-shaped Puffball
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: Fungi |
| Phylum: Basidiomycota |
| Class: Agaricomycetes |
| Order: Agaricales |
| Family: Lycoperdaceae |
| Genus: Apioperdon |
| Species: Apioperdon pyriforme |
Conservation Status
Identifying Features
Stump puffballs are a small puffball about 1/2 - 2" wide. Their color is an off white to brown, and their spores are found on the inside of the pear-shaped puffball.
Before they release their spores the flesh is white in color.
Habitat & Range
They are found on dead hardwood in clusters, and are sapropytic, making them easy to distinguish from many other puffball species.
Life Cycle
These mushrooms are found year-round, but their season is in late summer.
When young, the inside of these mushrooms is white and spongey in texture. When they mature and are ready to release spores, they change to a dark olive color.
Featured image by James Dake
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