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. 
Section of S. vulgare Habitat—Old stumps and buried roots. 
This fungus has been eaten without harm, but is pronounced 
very unattractive. 
Vil-ga’-ré 
134 
