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The spotted puffball is scientifically called Scleroderma leopardova, or Scleroderma areolatum. Belongs to the family of Pseudo-Ponimbus, or Scleroderma. The Latin name “areolatum” means “divided into areas, areas”, and “scleroderma” means “thick skin”. The genus is popularly known as “hare potato”, “devil’s tobacco” and “dustweed”.
What do spotted puffballs look like?
Spotted puffball - gasteromycete. The structure of its fruiting body is closed. It forms under the surface of the soil. Then it comes out to ripen, acquiring a spherical or tuberous shape. The spores are stored inside the fruiting body, in the basidia. This is the reproductive organ.
The fruiting bodies of spotted puffballs are medium-sized, from 15 to 40 mm. They have a distinct shape of a ball and an inverted pear. They are colored in a light yellow-brown shade, have numerous small dark brown scales, compressed by areole ridges. This makes the appearance of the fruiting body look like the skin of a leopard.As the mushroom grows, the shell of the mushroom becomes darker and rougher. When the spores ripen, the fruit cracks and an irregularly shaped hole appears in its upper part.
The mushroom does not have a stalk; only an indistinct false stalk with a branched root-like outgrowth can form.
The flesh of young specimens is fleshy and light. As it ripens, it changes color to dark, purple or olive-brown with white streaks. The structure becomes powdery. The taste is sweetish.
Where do spotted puffballs grow?
The species is very common. The growing area covers both temperate climate zones and southern zones. It can be found in Europe, Russia, and the North American continent. Spotted puffball forms mycorrhiza with trees of various species.
Prefers moist deciduous and coniferous forests. Loves soils rich in organic matter and containing sand. It can be found in open, well-lit areas, in parks and squares, along roads and forest belts, in landfills, and in humus. In most cases it grows in groups.
The fruiting period coincides with the ripening season of “noble” species. It falls between mid-August and late September, when the rainy season begins. In warm weather, fruiting can last until the end of October.
Is it possible to eat spotted puffballs?
The species belongs to the inedible varieties. Contains toxins. Eating mushrooms in large quantities causes poisoning. Its signs: severe stomach pain, dizziness, nausea, vomiting. In severe cases, convulsions and loss of consciousness occur. Symptoms of poisoning develop very quickly. They appear within 30-60 minutes.Spotted puffball should not be eaten.
Medicinal properties
The mushroom contains calvacin. This substance has antifungal and anticancer effects. Experiments involving animals have proven that when consuming the pulp of the spotted puffball, the size of cancerous tumors decreases.
Another property of the species is the ability to fight skin diseases, stop bleeding, and relieve local inflammatory processes.
Conclusion
Spotted puffball is an inedible species that causes poisoning. It is important for mushroom pickers to be able to distinguish it. False specimens grow only in groups, have a dense leathery shell and an unpleasant odor, and their flesh darkens when cut.
