Tumbling Puffball Bovista pila Berkeley & M.A. Curtis    
Kingdom Fungi   >   Phylum Basidiomycota   >   Class Agaricomycetes   >   Order Agaricales   >   Family Agaricaceae   >   Genus Bovista   

Description:

Fruiting body: Nearly spherical; white gradually changing to dark brown, may have metallic luster at maturity; one or more splits/tears at maturity to reveal dark brown spores; attached to ground by a single cord (J. Solem, pers. comm.).

Where to find:

Solitary or scattered groups; on ground in grass, forests, pastures (J. Solem, pers. comm.).

There are 12 records in the project database.

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Spores of Tumbling Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (3/29/2018). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

A Tumbling Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (9/18/2009). This is the mature fruiting body, which shows a single cord attachment point. Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)

A Tumbling Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (9/18/2009). Note mature fruiting body showing split and spores. Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)

Tumbling Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (7/20/2012). This is a young fruiting body showing the attachment point. Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Tumbling Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (7/20/2012). Shown here is a young fruiting body split to show immature spores. Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Tumbling Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (3/29/2018). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Tumbling Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (3/29/2018). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

A Tumbling Puffball (with mature spores) in Howard Co., Maryland (3/20/2018). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Tumbling Puffball spores collected in Howard Co., Maryland (3/20/2018). Round, smooth; measured 4.3-5.4 [round] microns. Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)


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