Fauna
Fungus

Curtis's Puffball

Lycoperdon curtisii

Curtis's puffball is a small, gregarious fungus notable for forming distinctive arcs or fairy rings across sunlit lawns and pastures. The spherical fruit bodies are initially coated in soft, clustering spines that slough off as they age, revealing a smooth papery skin beneath. When mature, an apical pore opens at the summit, allowing raindrops and passing animals to compress the casing and puff powdery clouds of olive-brown spores into the breeze.

FungusSpore-bearingSaprobic
Curtis's Puffball reference1 / 7
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyDecomposing plant debris, Soil organic matter
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Fungus gnat larvae
  • Small rodents
ThreatsLawn fungicides, intensive turf management, soil compaction
HabitatsLawns, pastures, meadows, and open grassy areas
Life spanFruit body lasts 1–2 weeks; underground mycelium lives for years
Classification
  1. OrderAgaricales
  2. FamilyLycoperdaceae
  3. GenusLycoperdon
  4. SpeciesLycoperdon curtisii
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Check the interior: Cross-sections of young puffballs show pure white, uniform flesh.
  • Watch spore dispersal: Gently tap older, dried specimens to observe spore clouds.
  • Look in grass: Search open lawns and pastures following late summer or autumn rains.
Related species
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