Purple-spored Puffball

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Purple-spored Puffball is a large, edible puffball. It grows on the ground (terrestrial) and obtains its nutrients from decaying organic matter (saprobic). It may appear individually, in groups, or as fairy rings. Fairy rings of this species may persist for hundreds of years.

The fruiting body is 2″ to 8″ in diameter, nearly round, and slightly flattened at first, with the shape of a round loaf of bread. As it ages it develops a broad, often flattened top and a large stem-like base, giving it the shape of an inverted pear or a top. When it matures in the fall it ruptures, the spores are dispersed, and only the stalk remains.

The skin (peridium) is thin and has two layers. The outer skin (exoperidium) is white, tan, or pinkish tan when young. It is smooth, not spotted or warty. As it ages it cracks, at least on top, into flat scales or patches, revealing the white inner skin (endoperidium) below. When mature it turns dull purple or purplish-brown and flakes off revealing the now dark brown or purplish-brown endoperidium. In the fall the endoperidium ruptures irregularly, or through radial tears, or just generally disintegrates.

The base is sterile. The flesh of the base is chambered and white or yellowish when immature. In the fall it turns purple. It persists into the winter as a purple, leathery, cup shaped stump after the peridium has disintegrated and the spores are dispersed.

The spores of this mushroom are produced inside the fruiting body, not on the outer surface. The flesh above the sterile stalk is the spore mass. When immature it is white and solid with a cheesy texture. At this stage it is edible. As it ages it becomes mushy and darkens, turning first yellowish then brownish. In the fall it becomes powdery and purple.

The purple color of the mature spore mass distinguishes Purple-spored Puffball from otherwise similar puffballs.

Earthballs (Scleroderma sp.), have a thick, tough skin that ruptures into distinct lobes at maturity, often in a star-like pattern. The mature spore mass remains firm as it darkens, eventually becoming powdery.

Pastures, lawns, and other grassy places, and occasionally in open woods.

July to November

Sources

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

Widespread and occasional to locally common

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
The genus Calvatia 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 Calvatia in the family Lycoperdaceae.

… They were at a Prairie Preserve in Norman Co., Mn. Aug. 26, 2023 I came across them.

seems to be in the cup stage following rupture. It was growing in the grass approximately 50ft from shore.

Found 3 purple-spored puffballs!

In my well-groomed flowerbed buried down in with my stones, along the edge of our wooden detached deck in our backyard in Greensburg, PA (zip 15601).

Share your video of this fungus.

Location: Norman Co., Mn.

… They were at a Prairie Preserve in Norman Co., Mn. Aug. 26, 2023 I came across them.

Location: Lake lot on Green Prairie Fish Lake near Little Falls, MN

seems to be in the cup stage following rupture. It was growing in the grass approximately 50ft from shore.

Location: Greensburg, PA

In my well-groomed flowerbed buried down in with my stones, along the edge of our wooden detached deck in our backyard in Greensburg, PA (zip 15601).

Thought you might want a pic of this on your website.  The “purple spored puffball”.  We see so few purple fungi!  A week ago, there were 3 specimens on an open field outside of Henderson, MN.  We were able to find this one, which had become detached and blown to the edge of the woods.