Gastropila fumosa

Gastropila fumosa

''Gastropila fumosa'' is a species of puffball in the family Agaricaceae. It was first described as ''Calvatia fumosa'' by American mycologist Sanford Myron Zeller in 1947, and later transferred to ''Gastropila'' in 1976. Some authors place it instead in the genus ''Handkea'', circumscribed by Hanns Kreisel in 1989.
spring puffball - younger specimen  Gastropila fumosa,Geotagged,Spring,United States

Appearance

The fruit body is anywhere from golf ball size to baseball size, round to oval, 3–8 cm broad, thick, at first smooth and white, soon becoming grayish to brownish. The spores are firm and white at first, then yellowish or olive, and then dark brown and powdery. The species has an unpleasant smell. The edibility is unknown.
spring puffball  Gastropila fumosa,Geotagged,Spring,United States

Distribution

The species fruits singly, in groups, or in small clusters on soil in spruce-fir forests in the Rocky Mountains and westward in the summer and fall.
spring puffball - cross section  Gastropila fumosa,Geotagged,Spring,United States

Habitat

The species fruits singly, in groups, or in small clusters on soil in spruce-fir forests in the Rocky Mountains and westward in the summer and fall.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomFungi
DivisionBasidiomycota
ClassAgaricomycetes
OrderAgaricales
FamilyAgaricaceae
GenusGastropila
SpeciesG. fumosa