Stump Puffball revisited

[cervinae]

What a difference a week makes. The L. pyriforme is popping up all over our bog garden (some even bravely poking up through the shale path). I've become rather fond of them but it seems so are the slugs

Anyhow, here's a reminder of the main patch from last week



And here's the same patch this week (Baby! How you've grown!)



All makes me wonder what next year will look like once these have done their duty

Regards, David

[fairplay]

I'm not so sure if these are L.pyriforme.

Anyone else got doubts ?

Neil.

[treecreeper]

They look like Lycoperdon molle

[cervinae]

Both L. pyriforme and L. molle look similar to me so I accept the possibility. Is it the colour change that is making you think L. molle? There was a light frost the night before I took the latest pic, I don't know if that might contribute to darkening (or more likely my terrible photography skills ). Is L. molle associated with any particular trees? All that is nearby is a young alder and a grafted willow sunk in a pot. The reason why I believe them L. pyriforme is that after the name was suggested to me I found some definite L. pyriforme (growing on a tree stump) in a local wood and they macroscopically looked like those in the first photo and smelled the same. I've not smelled L. molle to compare but might it be similar? Also there is a fair bit of wood chippings dug into the bog garden which would make a viable medium for L. pyriforme. But it is the ones coming through the shale path that lend credence to tthe L. molle possibility, I doubt they're living off the bamboo edging and I don't think there's wood under there (saying that, the house is new build and it's scary what we have dug up )

I'm hoping to soon move onto using microscopes and I reckon that I'll have to get some spores from these (I'm guessing there's a difference between the two... so much to learn, so little time).

I'll keep an eye on them and see how they develop further

Many thanks, David

P.S. sorry if there's any typos or bad grammar, been up since 4am and writing this from phone in bed... now to sleep

[treecreeper]

Both colour and shape make me think L. molle

[cervinae]

I've looked closely at the full sized images of these fellows I have and I'm starting to sway . Some have definite "stalks" which, from what I've read, would certainly suggest L. molle. L. pyriforme are pear/lightbulb shape which I thought they were but then I'd picked a young fruit body.

I think I owe someone an apology on an earlier thread as I'd linked in the first image to compare their L. pyriforme (fortunately theirs were most definitely growing from wood)

Again, many thanks for nudging me in the right direction

David