Potato Earthball - Scleroderma bovista

[Chris Yeates]

I notice that this isn't on the A to Z yet so will put these images on there

it differs from Scleroderma citrinum in having a much thinner, less scaly peridium (outer skin); it generally has a much shorter 'false stem' than the other commonly-found earthball, Scleroderma verrucosum

after that separation from the other GB earthballs gets slightly more complicated; the spores are very characteristic - as can be seen, they have a complete network of ornamentation; the Kew book on "British Puffballs, Earthstars . . . etc." mentions it is often found with Tilia (not a very usual fungal associate) and these were indeed collected under limes.

Chris