old Giant Puffball - Calvatia Giganteus

[sometimes]

Saw this in the woods. Is it a fungus or something not a fungus?

[JP]

was it soft and when you touched it brown fine powder come out of it? if so it may have been an old bit of a puff ball if it was big a giant puff ball, err may be lol OR ! they are Ash leaves on the ground there it could be an old Cramp ball? thats what it lookie likey to me, may be ?

then again it could be one of my ma's attempts at cooking muffins if it was rock like lol,

[sometimes]

Thanks JP. It was softish and seemed to have the 'feel' that it was some sort of spongey material (a bit like oasis but softer?). I guess it was about 25cm diameter

[NickCantle]

I'd give a guess at an old Giant Puffball - Calvatia Giganteus. When they get old, they go spongy as you described and they get extremely light. This is so that they are easy for the wind to blow them across the ground, spreading spores as it goes. I think it's called a spore globe.

Nick

[JP]

Originally Posted by sometimes

Thanks JP. It was softish and seemed to have the 'feel' that it was some sort of spongey material (a bit like oasis but softer?). I guess it was about 25cm diameter

Aye Giant puff ball it is then i recon.

[sometimes]

Thanks for giving me some self respect!

When you say 'old' how old might it be? I appreciate this might a how long is a bit of string question, but I wouldn't have expected to see any kind of fungi lasting from one year to the next......