Pear-shaped Puffball

(Apioperdon pyriforme)

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

not listed

Minnesota

not listed

 
Pear-shaped Puffball
Photo by Cynthia Schroeder
 
Description

Pear-shaped Puffball, while not the best known puffball, is the most common one in northeast and midwest North America. It is common in Minnesota. Unlike most puffballs, it grows on and obtains its nutrients from rotting wood (saprobic). It is usually found in dense clusters, sometimes scattered, on rotting logs or stumps. The clusters have been described as sometimes “as large as a loaf of bread.”

The fruiting body is pear-shaped to nearly round, 1 to 2 in tall, and to 2 in diameter. When they first appear they are white and smooth, sometimes with a few scattered white spines at the top. Later they become whitish to pale brown and covered with tiny white spines. As it continues to develop it becomes yellowish to brown, the spines disappear, the surface develops fine cracks forming small patches or granules, and it is rough to the touch. The patches or granules eventually fall off exposing a smooth surface. When mature a pore or tear develops at the top (apex) through which spores are released by raindrops or wind. Eventually they turn brown. The tough outer skin persists into winter and sometimes into the following spring.

The flesh is white and fleshy at first, becoming yellowish and granular as it ages, and brownish dust (spores) when mature. It is edible when young and firm inside but relatively tasteless, becoming bitter with age.

Conspicuous white mycelial threads (rhizomorphs) are usually radiating from the base, sometimes in the surrounding substrate.

 

Similar Species

Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum) is similar in appearance, but it grows on the ground, not on wood.

Habitat and Hosts

Rotting wood

Ecology

Season

Summer to late fall

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 7, 24, 26, 29, 30, 77.

10/8/2024    
     

Occurrence

Common and widespread

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi (fungi)

Subkingdom

Dikarya

Phylum

Basidiomycota (club fungi)

Subphylum

Agaricomycotina (jelly fungi, yeasts, and mushrooms)

Class

Agaricomycetes (mushrooms, bracket fungi, puffballs, and allies)

Subclass

Agaricomycetidae

Order

Agaricales (common gilled mushrooms and allies)

Suborder

Suborder Agaricineae

Family

Lycoperdaceae (puffballs)

Genus

Apioperdon

   

Order
The family Lycoperdaceae was formerly placed in the order Lycoperdales. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies resulted in a resturcturing of fungal taxonomy. Genera formerly in the families Tulostomataceae, Battarreaceae, Lycoperdaceae, and Mycenastraceae have been moved to Agaricaceae. The move has been universally accepted.

Family
This species was formerly classified as Lycoperdon pyriforme, and that genus was formerly placed in the family Lycoperdaceae. Recent phylogenetic analysis showed that family to be a subgroup within the family Agaricaceae. The move has not been universally accepted. Index Fungorum, MycoBank, Catalog of Life, and NCBI all include Lycoperdon in the family Lycoperdaceae.

Genus
This species was formerly classified as Lycoperdon pyriforme. Based on research published in 2003, it was separated from other Lycoperdon species due to its preferred habitat, mycelial strings, and other factors, and it was reclassified as Morganella pyriformis. In 2008, a more inclusive study placed it back in the genus Lycoperdon in the new subgenus Apioperdon. An analysis published in 2017 showed that L. pyriforme is phylogenetically distinct from Lycoperdon and has sufficient distinct morphological features to be placed outside of that genus. The subgenus was raised to the genus level, and the species was reclassified as Apioperdon pyriforme, the only species in the new genus.

   

Subordinate Taxa

 

   

Synonyms

Lycoperdon pyriforme

Morganella pyriformis

   

Common Names

Pear-shaped Puffball

Stump Puffball

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Mycelium

The vegetative part of a fungus; consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae, through which a fungus absorbs nutrients from its environment; and excluding the fruiting, reproductive structure.

 

Saprobic

A term often used for saprotrophic fungi. Referring to fungi that obtain their nutrients from decayed organic matter.

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Luciearl

Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball
     
Pear-shaped Puffball    
     
Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball
     
Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball

Greg Watson

Pear-shaped Puffball
Pear-shaped Puffballs, Apioperdon pyriforme

Paul

Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball

Toasted marshmallows!

   
     
Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball
     
Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball

Honey Fae (Farah)

Pear-shaped Puffball

Martin Schrattenholzer

Pear-shaped Puffball
Pear-shaped Puffball, Apioperdon pyriforme, At Ahsub Lake, Boundary Waters Canoe Area

Kirk Nelson

Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball

Cynthia Schroeder

Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball
     
Pear-shaped Puffball    
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball

Habitat

  Habitat
     
Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball

Habitat

  Fresh
     
Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball

Fresh

  Fresh
     
Pear-shaped Puffball   Pear-shaped Puffball

Mature

  Mature
     
Pear-shaped Puffball    

Mature

   

 

Camera

Slideshows

Apioperdon pyriforme - fungi kingdom
Nineli Lishina

About

Published on Jan 24, 2015

Apioperdon pyriforme - fungi kingdom

 

slideshow

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Other Videos

Puffball Mushroom (Apioperdon pyriforme) on Log
Carl Barrentine

About

Uploaded on Sep 20, 2010

Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (19 September 2010). Go here to learn more about this species: http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~6358.asp

Pear shaped Puffball and more mushrooms
RedFree100

About

Published on Sep 26, 2015

Pear shaped Puffball and more mushrooms

Wolf-fart puffballs
JeffersonLandTrust

About

Published on Oct 16, 2014

Autumn in Jefferson County, Washington means mass fruitings of all kinds of mushrooms. From Port Townsend, Washington, here's a big bunch of pear-shaped puffballs, AKA Apioperdon pyriforme...AKA wolf-fart puffball, because "Lycoperdon" literally means "wolf farts"!!!

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings
 

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Luciearl
12/29/2024

Location: Fairview Twp.

Pear-shaped Puffball

Greg Watson
9/24/2024

Location: Norwegian Ridge Birding and Nature Trails

Pear-shaped Puffballs, Apioperdon pyriforme

Pear-shaped Puffball
Luciearl
10/9/2023

Location: Cass County

Pear-shaped Puffball

Paul
8/4/2023

Location: St. Cloud, MN (Benton County)

Pear-shaped Puffball

Honey Fae (Farah)
7/24/2022

Location: Hennepin County

Pear-shaped Puffball

Apricity Apricity
Fall 2021

Location: Martin County, Fairmont, MN

Martin Schrattenholzer
9/14/2020

Location: Ahsub Lake, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Pear-shaped Puffball

Luciearl
4/3/2020

Location: Cass County

Pear-shaped Puffball

Kirk Nelson
9/30/2018

Location: Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Pear-shaped Puffball

Cynthia Schroeder
9/5/2018

Location: North Branch, MN

Pear-shaped Puffball

MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

 

 

Binoculars

 

Created: 3/18/2019

Last Updated:

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