Stump Puffball (Lycoperdon pyriforme)

As the leaves turn to the colours of autumn, on the woodland floor fungi begin to burst from the soil and leaf litter. At the forefront of this emergence is the Stump Puffball. In broad-leaved woodland they can be found on dead tree stumps, more often, growing it seems from the soil but actually there will be a piece of wood buried that they are growing on. This very common autumn species is the only Britich puffball that grows on wood. When they first emerge these puffballs can have a scaly appearance. As they age and dry out they turn paler and lose the scales. The ball is full of spores and when raindrops land on them the impact causes puffs of spores to be emitted from a hole on top of the ball, a but like a volcano blowing ash. As the fruiting body ages further so the wind will cause spores to distribute too.

So, if you see a puff ball, don't stamp on it - let it do its job naturally!
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Find out more about the Stump Puffball in Dorset here: www.natureofdorset.co.uk/species_panel/Stump%20Puffball?v...

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