Peeling puffball

Overview

The peeling puffball, Lycoperdon marginatum, is a small puffball that grows on the ground. When young it is round and covered with short white spines. The spines later fall off in irregular sheets, which leaves a smooth brown outer skin. The fruit body opens at the top to release spores when it matures.

Its edibility is disputed. Some sources list it as edible when young but insubstantial, and others describe it as poisonous. The sources reviewed do not establish safe use, so this page records the conflict rather than giving a verdict.

Taxonomy

Vittadini described the species in 1839, cited as Vittad. Molecular analysis places it in subgenus Lycoperdon, close to L. perlatum and L. norvegicum. The catalogue records the scientific name as a research label rather than a reconciled accepted name, so records should be checked against current taxonomy.

Description

Fruit bodies are 1 to 5 cm wide. They begin nearly spherical and become flattened and more pear-shaped as they age, on a short tapering stalk. The outer layer is white and spiny at first. The spines fall off in irregular sheets rather than one by one. The inner flesh, the gleba, is white and firm when young, then greenish-brown, greyish-brown and powdery as it matures. The spores are round, 3.5 to 4.5 micrometres, with fine warts, and the spore print is white to olive.

Habitat and season

The fungus is saprobic, feeding on dead organic matter. It grows singly, scattered or in groups on the ground, often on sandy, nutrient-poor soil or in oak-pine woods. No host plant is named in the sources. It fruits from June to December.

Distribution

Sources give its range as Australia, Europe, and North and South America. Records are not detailed for each country in the sources reviewed.

Look-alikes

Lycoperdon echinatum looks similar, but its spines do not come off in sheets. The outer layer of L. rimulatum sometimes peels in sheets, but it has no spines. Several other spiny puffballs can look alike when young, and many shed their spines one at a time.

Food use and edibility

The catalogue records a local puffball food-use record in Mexico. Wikipedia reports that the fungus is said to be used in Mexico to cause hallucinations, but chemical analysis of fruit bodies found no substance that would explain this.

A regional guide reports that some people eat it when young, while noting that reports vary and that eating it is not recommended. Young fruit bodies have white, firm flesh, and some sources describe them as edible but insubstantial. The sources do not give a method of preparation for this species.

Safety

The sources reviewed give conflicting edibility reports and no clear toxicity data. The Minnesota guide advises against eating it. The Wikipedia article gives no clear safety recommendation.

Appearance, smell and taste do not establish that a puffball is safe to eat. Identify wild specimens with a qualified expert and follow official food safety advice before eating any wild fungus.

Open questions

The sources do not give a dated record of food use, a regional name, a preparation that would make the species safe, or confirmed toxin data. These are unknown, not negative findings.