Lycoperdon sp. - anyone identify this odd looking fungus?

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:09 pm

Hi folks,

This afternoon (10 Jan 2007): Took my dog Maggy to Stockgrove Country Park (Buckinghamshire) on her last walk of the day. Arrived at the park about 45 mins before sunset. After a wet morning the sun had come out and I was desperate to photograph ANYTHING before it got too dark. This small, spent puffball (head diameter about 25mm) was in a loose group of about 5 heads. It looked pretty unpromising but as I said I was desperate! Anyway, always the true professional

, down I went on the still wet grass - right knee spreading a (fortunately*) ancient fox poo. This is the result:

I'm pretty sure it's a Lycoperdon sp. but can't put a specific name to it. Any general comments about the pics or help and/or information about the species greatly appreciated.

Bruce

*ie, fortunate it hadn't been left earlier today.
.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:25 pm

I think you found something very interesting to take a picture of Bruce. This thing has wonderful textures on it. I would agree you have the species right. I have never seen any puffballs with that kind of surface. Great find and great photos

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:51 am

Wonderful texture and composition in the second shot. I can't help you on the fungus ID but I can sure appreciate the images, particularly with a dry set of knees.

Irwin

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:50 am

Thanks for your comments guys.

Research (fun style) is still in progress (courtesy of Google) however it appears likely that we are looking at the inner dermis of the fungus, the papery outer skin having all but disappeared.

I also got me a couple of new words - apparently the hole where the spores were ejected is called the mouth or ostiole.

Please do correct me if I'm off track in any of the above.

Bruce

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:35 pm

Bruce,

nearest candidates I can find in "Mushrooms & Other Fungi of Great Britain & Europe" by Roger Phillips are

Lycoperdon perlatum

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur ... f%26sa%3DG

And Lycoperdon pedicellatum

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur ... f%26sa%3DG

Yours seem to be old very erroded specimens however, more of the "skeleton" after the outer surface has been worn off. I cannot see anything else in the book that resembles your plants and it covers more than 900 species.

DaveW

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 6:30 am

Dave,

Thanks for your suggestions on possible species. Thanks too for the photo links - I have looked at them both and agree that either could be the species. If the "skeleton" is still there when I next visit I'll bring it back to take a closer look under the Meiji.

Bruce

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 9:24 am

Nice images there Bruce, good details in them. You know though, I have a question. "Why is this post so W I D E

I have a 20" crystal bright wide screen monitor and I still have to scroll the page.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 9:52 am

Ken,

Thanks for comment on pics.

Odd isn't it? It's the same on my Mum's monitor (I'm visiting her at the moment). I really have no idea why this posting should be so wide

Possibly a quick check over the HTML source code for this webpage would supply the answer.

Bruce

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 9:55 am

No problem there Bruce, it was just an odd occurance that no one elses posts turned out like this one. No harm done, just curious

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:26 pm

You have to scroll horizontally???

I have to scroll the page only vertically.