Lycoperdon perlatum Pers.

Lycoperdon perlatum, popularly known as the common puffball, warted puffball, gem-studded puffball or devil's snuff-box, is a species of puffball fungus in the family Agaricaceae. It is a medium-sized puffball with a round fruit body tapering to a wide stalk, and dimensions of 1.5 to 6 cm wide by 3 to 10 cm tall. It is off-white with a top covered in short spiny bumps or "jewels", which are easily rubbed off to leave a netlike pattern on the surface. When mature it becomes brown and a hole in the top opens to release spores in a burst when the body is compressed by touch or falling raindrops.

Source: Wikipedia

Synonyms 6
Lycoperdon bonordenii, Lycoperdon excipuliforme var. perlatum, Lycoperdon gemmatum var. perlatum, Lycoperdon perlatum var. bonordenii, Lycoperdon perlatum var. dobremezianum, Lycoperdon perlatum var. lacunosum
  • 86,411 GBIF occurrences
  • 56,572 iNaturalist observations
Conservation status code
LC
Conservation: status label
Least Concern
Conservation: population trend
Stable
Conservation: year assessed
2019
Habitats
IUCN: population narrative

The population size is likely to be very large since this is such a widespread species, and more or less stable as there is no indication of any decline.

IUCN: habitat narrative

Lycoperdon perlatum is a saprotrophic terrestrial fungus occurring in all kinds of woodlands. It may also occur in grasslands, wooded meadows, bush-lands and heathlands.

IUCN: threats narrative

There are no major threats to this species.

IUCN: conservation narrative

No conservation measures are needed for this species since it is widespread and there are no major threats to it.

IUCN: rationale

Lycoperdon perlatum is widespread edible terrestrial saprotrophic fungus widely distributed in the world. There is no evidence of decline. It can be locally abundant where suitable habitat exists. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern (LC).