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Scleroderma citrinum Pers.

Earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball

ParentsUnknownGenus is not in the current taxonomy
GenusSclerodermaFrom the Greek scler-, “hard,” and -derma, “skin,” for the thick outer rind
SpeciescitrinumRefers to the citrine (lemon-yellow) colour of the skins of most common earthballs

About plant names...

Earthballs have recently been discovered to be relatives of boletes, a large group of mushrooms whose cap undersides resemble foam rubber, filled underneath with hollow spore-filled tubes. The name earthball is preferred by some to distinguish these from similar-appearing edible puffballs, but the term puffballs applies to both. They prefer well-drained, sandy soil.

Identification: Fruiting bodies are ¾-4″ (2-10 cm) across. They are round or flattened, with a scaly, hard outer rind. They don’t sit on a stalk, but are attached instead by a whitish sheet of mycelium. The fruiting body is white at first, becoming cream-colored or yellow and brownish or greenish at time goes on. Coarse, irregularly shaped scales appear as well. When you cut one in half, it is filled with a spore mass that is white. It quickly begins to darken, becoming dark purple to purple-black, from the center outwards. When the fruits mature, the skin ruptures, leaving a large opening that looks as if it exploded. Spores are distributed by wind and rain. The empty cases persist for long periods, even all winter.

Edibility: Mildly poisonous. Skull & Crossbones Causes gastrointestinal distress, and sometimes lacrimation, rhinitis, and conjuctivitis.

Similar species: Earthballs are similar in appearance to puffballs (Lycoperdon), but puffballs have a single opening in the top, through which spores are released. Earthballs, by contrast, just rupture, leaving a ragged opening. Earthballs have a tough outer rind, while puffballs are spongy. Lycoperdon perlatum is club-shaped, and has a small stipe.

Online References:

Mushroomexpert.com

Www.first-nature.com

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

9/27/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

6/15/2007 · Maine · By Kathleen Williamson ID is uncertain

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

Cut to show spore mass. · 9/27/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm) ID is uncertain

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

7/22/2021 · Mitchell Field, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) ID is uncertain

Scleroderma aurantium (Vaill.)

Scleroderma vulgare Horn.

 

Scleroderma citrinum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 26 Sep 2023.

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Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

9/1/2021 · Crystal Spring Farm Main Loop, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9 cm)

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

10/6/2021 · Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport, Maine · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm)

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

9/4/2020 · Widgeon Cove Trail, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

9/7/2013 · Beech Hill, Dublin, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

9/23/2007

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

9/23/2007

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

8/6/2023 · Byles Point Loop, Devil’s Back Trails, Orr’s Island, Maine

Scleroderma citrinum (earthball, tough-skinned puffball, pigskin poison puffball, common earthball)

10/6/2021 · Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)