This mushroom is pear shaped, smooth and yellow-brown with a pore at top. It is1/2-2 inches wide and 1-2 inches high. It is yellow brown with minute warts and granules on the surface.
It is found scattered singly or densely clustered on wood, decaying logs, stumps and debris. It is one of only a few puffballs to grow on wood. It is seen from July to November. In Fontenelle Forest it is common mainly on the floodplain.
This is a very common and abundant puffball. The name “pyriforme” is derived from the Latin for pear shaped while “Lycoperdon” comes from the words for “wolf” and “to break wind.” This is probably is a play on words–in that puffballs release their spores in a flatulent sort of way. It is also known as Morganella pyriformis.
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