Species of the Month: October 2016

Stump Puffball Lycoperdon pyriforme

 

Sometimes known as Pear Puffball, Stump Puffball is a distinctive fungi found in woodland. It can be found fruiting on decaying deciduous or coniferous wood. When the fruiting body is matured, the central spore opens, leaving a distinctive hole in the top of the fungus. This is the only British puffball to occur on dead wood. Autumn is an excellent time of year to find this species, along with many other fungi species. Despite this species being fairly widespread and easy to identify, SEWBReC holds just 167 records in our database (view the Welsh distribution on Aderyn here).

More information about Stump Puffball can be found on NatureSpot.

If you spot Stump Puffball during October (or at any other time of year), please send us the record, ideally via SEWBReCORD or the LERC Wales App. Instructions on how to submit records are available here.