Scientific
classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Agaricaceae
Genus: Calvatia
Species: C. gigantea
Binomial
name Calvatia gigantea
(Batsch ex
Pers.) Lloyd
View the
Mycomorphbox template that generates the following listMycological
characteristics
glebal hymenium
no distinct cap
hymenium attachment is not
applicable
lacks a stipe
spore print is brown
ecology is mycorrhizal
edibility: edible
Calvatia gigantea,
commonly known as the giant puffball, is a puffball mushroom commonly found in
meadows, fields, and deciduous forests usually in late summer and autumn. It is
found in temperate areas throughout the world.
Most giant
puffballs grow to be 10 to 70 centimetres (3.9 to 27.6 in) in diameter,
although occasionally some can reach diameters up to 150 centimetres (59 in)
and weights of 20 kilograms (44 lb).
The inside of
mature Giant puffballs is greenish brown, whereas the interior of immature
puffballs is white. The large white mushrooms are edible when young.
The fruiting body
of a puffball mushroom will develop within the period of a few weeks and soon
begin to decompose and rot, at which point it is dangerous to eat.
Unlike most
mushrooms, all the spores of the giant puffball are created inside the fruiting
body; large specimens can easily contain several trillion spores. Spores are
yellowish, smooth, and 3 to 5 micrometres (0.00012 to 0.00020 in) in size.
The
classification of this species has been revised in recent years, as the
formerly recognized class Gasteromycetes, which included all puffballs, has
been found to be polyphyletic. Some authors place the giant puffball and other
members of genus Calvatia in order Agaricales.
Also, the species
has in the past been placed in two other genera, Lycoperdon and Langermannia.
However, the current view is that the Giant Puffball is Calvatia.
Widespread and
fairly common, and not considered of conservation concern in the UK. However,
it is protected in parts of Poland and considered rare in Lithuania and of
conservation concern in Norway.
All true
puffballs are considered edible when immature, but can cause digestive upset if
the spores have begun to form, as indicated by the color of the flesh being not
pure white (first yellow, then brown).
Immature gilled
species still contained within their universal veil can be look alikes for
puffballs. To distinguish puffballs from poisonous fungi, they must be cut
open; edible puffballs will have a solid white interior.
Some similar
mushrooms have the white interior (or yellowish) but also have the silhouette
of a cap-type mushroom on the interior when cut open. These are young cap-type
mushrooms and may be poisonous.
It is a known
styptic and has long been used as wound dressing, either in powdered form or as
slices 3 cm thick. The fungus was often harvested prior to battles for this
purpose.
It is the main
source of the anti-tumor mucoprotein calvacin, which is present only in tiny
quantities.
Giant puffballs
resemble the earthball (Scleroderma citrinum). The latter are distinguished by
a much firmer, elastic fruiting body, and having an interior that becomes dark
purplish-black with white reticulation early in development.
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