Western giant puffball

Calvatia booniana

The western giant puffball is a puffball mushroom that can grow 10 to 70 centimetres in diameter, as large as its close relative, the giant puffball of eastern North America and Europe. Like the giant puffball, it grows on composted soil such as in meadows, fields, and forests, as well as on roadsides, sagebrush flats, pastures, and other sunny places.
Western Giant Puffbal Despite the date opposite this shot was taken whilst walking up to the Bonanza Mine on 30th July 2012. A magical place. Alaska,Calvatia booniana,Western giant puffball,Wrangell St Elias

Appearance

Its shape is round or a flattened sphere with no stalk, and it at least 12 inches across when mature. The exterior is white or tan. Unlike giant puffballs, which are smooth, the western giant puffball is covered with plaques or large pointed warts. The interior is first firm and white, then yellow and slimy, and finally powdery.
Puffball Thanks for the heads up on the species. I knew it was a fungi but had not researched it until Christine’s comments. Calvatia booniana,Geotagged,Summer,United States,Western giant puffball

Distribution

In general, western giant puffballs occur on the west side of the Rockies and giant puffballs occur on the east side. However, on the West Coast of North America the western giant puffball is replaced by the giant puffball or a closely related species.

Reproduction

Unlike most puffballs the western giant puffball reproduces in three stages asexually. Smaller western giant puffballs usually clump of the epididymal covering of the parent.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomFungi
DivisionBasidiomycota
ClassAgaricomycetes
OrderAgaricales
FamilyLycoperdaceae
GenusCalvatia
SpeciesC. booniana
Photographed in
United States of America