Puffballs 



even when mature, unless washed out by rains or nosed out by 

 animals, and which rely upon being crushed by accident or upon 

 the disintegration of their rinds to free their spores. All true puff- 

 balls push themselves out of the ground before the spores are 

 mature, and then, by rupturing the skin in a definite manner 

 when mature, disperse their spores. The thick-skinned puff- 

 ball goes a step farther than the first mentioned and emerges 

 from the ground; but it remains behind the true puffballs, which 

 disperse their spores from a definite opening, for it ruptures the 

 skin irregularly. 



Scleroderma vulgare (Edible) 



Peridium or Pouch — Rough and warty ; 

 depressed, globose. Pinkish to 

 buff, remaining solid until the 

 fungus is quite old. Sessile or 

 with a rooting base. Ruptures 

 irregularly to scatter the spores. 



Subgleba — None. 



Spore Mass — Lead colour marbled with 

 white. 



Habitat — Old stumps and buried roots. 



Section of S. vulgare 



This fungus has been eaten without harm, but is pronounced 

 very unattractive. 



Vul-ga'-re 



134 



