Number 05 on my Mushroom quest is the Scleroderma Citrinum, also known as the Common Earthball. This mushroom belongs to the genus Scleroderma fungi, under the wider family of Sclerodermataceae.
Fruiting Body: No cap. White or yellow in immaturity, which is also an indication that it still has not developed spores. Will eventually turn to darker shades to an ochre-brown; with the ruptured skin widening it's girth through it's life. See all photographs to examine. I photographed four examples, all of which were/are at different parts of there lives.
Spores: Spherical & spiked. Spores are released through wind on a dry day & on a rainy day filling the body causing spillage. I shot this on a rainy as you can see from my photographs; particularly the thumbnail. Therefore it is clear to see spores & droplets on the outer skin. Colour: Black/Purple/or Dark Grey. Spores will also turn to a powder-like look when mature.
Dispersal: Ruptures to create ostiole. This retracts outward to leave a wider girth in age.
Stipe: Non visible, but does have mycelial root like hairs at base.
Skirt: N/A
Flesh: Present on a young Earthball, gleba can be white or a pink-purple tint but this soon turns similar to spores colour, purple-black. White vein like structures are visible running through it.
Height/Size: 8cm height / 3-10cm diameter cap
Surface: Scaly (see figure 1)
Habitat: Acidic Soils within Coniferous woodlands, deciduous (birch, oak) too. I photographed these examples in a mixture of species as mentioned & also Horse Chestnut.
Distribution: Either grow solo, in pairs or small batches, although often quite gregarious or sporadic as were the examples I found.
Season: July - December
Confusion Species: Scaly Earthball - 3mm on skin which is easy to identify once ruptured. Mosaic Puffball - As with all Puffballs, the flesh is white & surface of the fruiting body lacks any texture or scales. Also key to note it only has an opening at the top/apex (ostiole) whereas Earthball's break apart.
Leopard Earthball - Key difference is the texture is more consistent than that of the scales on a Common Earthball & looks like a Leopard patterns with a much more consistent covering. It is also a little smaller, 4cm diameter on the body.
Etymology: Scleroderma is Greek & more specifically Scler -comes from the word hard & derma for skin. The epithet of Citrnum refers to the citrine - lime yellow colour on the skins.
Other Notes: You can see this mushroom parasitized by the Pseudoboletus parasiticus, that is this Boletus parasiticus will root from the body of the Common Earthball. That being said, it is now recognised in the family belonging to the Boletales.
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