unidentified fungus

[chris248]

I found this on my lawn being pecked by a couple of magpies. it was next to a fresh mole hill (that's another story!). Size is about 50mm, texture is firm like a potato and it has no apparent smell. Location is Sussex and there are oak and beech trees within 10 metres (along with others).

Can anyone help identify this? I guess it is some kind of truffle - but not edible I think.

Has anyone experince of fungi like this being brought to the surface by a mole?

Thanks

[northenige]

Looks like a common earth ball to me.

[mykonik]

[quote=chris248;316145]I found this on my lawn being pecked by a couple of magpies. it was next to a fresh mole hill (that's another story!). Size is about 50mm, texture is firm like a potato and it has no apparent smell. Location is Sussex and there are oak and beech trees within 10 metres (along with others).

Can anyone help identify this? I guess it is some kind of truffle - but not edible I think.

Has anyone experince of fungi like this being brought to the surface by a mole?

Thanks

It's a 'false truffle' [or Earth Ball as already suggested] - a species of Scleroderma by the look of it ! Theye are unpalatable (if not actually poisonous !).

The marbled appearence of the spore producing parts (the blackish area, with white lines ramifying through it) is typical of this genus but which species it is cannot be told from the photo !

Nick

[fairplay]

I think it's safe to say we can rule out S. citrinum as the peridium seems too smooth and it appears to be too thin, pointing towards either S. verrucosum or S.areolatum.

S.verrucosum has a very obvious pseudostipe which is not apparent in this photo, so I would be inclined to opt for S. areolatum.

Neil.

[chris248]

Thanks to all for your help.

Trying to identify this led me to the WAB web site which i've found most interesting and will ceratinly be calling by again.