Lycoperdon pratense Pers.
(Meadow Puffball)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesLycoperdon pratense (Meadow Puffball)
GenusLycoperdon (puffballs)
FamilyAGARICACEAE (mushrooms, dapperlings and parasols, puffballs and bird’s-nests)
OrderAGARICALES (mushrooms and toadstools)
SubclassAGARICOMYCETIDAE (a subclass of basidiomycetes)
ClassAGARICOMYCETES (a class of fungi)
SubphylumAGARICOMYCOTINA (a subphylum of fungi)
PhylumBASIDIOMYCOTA (spore droppers, basidiomycetes)
KingdomFUNGI (true fungi)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Lycoperdon pratense (Meadow Puffball) :
1: Lycoperdon pratense (Meadow Puffball)
28 Sep 2004 OSGR: SX76 50° 30’ N, 3° 50’ W Vice County: South Devon (VC 3) England
15 old fruitbodies on and around old compost heap
Image 1: Old fruitbody - in situ - top viewImage 2: Old fruitbody - in situ - top view (2)Image 3: Old fruitbody - side viewImage 4: Old fruitbody - side view (2)Image 5: Paracapillitium - highly magnifiedImage 6: Paracapillitium - highly magnified (2)Image 7: Spores and paracapillitium - magnifiedImage 8: Spores and paracapillitium - magnified (2)Image 9: Spores and paracapillitium - highly magnifiedImage 10: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 11: Spores - highly magnified (2)Image 12: Spores - highly magnified (3)Image 13: Spores - highly magnified (4)
2: Lycoperdon pratense (Meadow Puffball)
28 Sep 2004 OSGR: SX76 50° 30’ N, 3° 50’ W Vice County: South Devon (VC 3) England
7 fruitbodies in grass
Image 1: In situ - side viewImage 2: In situ - top viewImage 3: Surface ornamentation - enlargedImage 4: Surface ornamentation - magnified
3: Lycoperdon pratense (Meadow Puffball)
22 Sep 2004 OSGR: SO71 51° 50’ N, 2° 20’ W Vice County: West Glos (VC 34) England
18 fruitbodies in grass
Image 1: Fruitbody - old - LS - close-upImage 2: Fruitbody - old - side view - close-upImage 3: Fruitbody - old - top view - close-upImage 4: Fruitbody - young - top view - close-upImage 5: Group of old Fruitbodies - close-upImage 6: Group - young and old - in situ
4: Lycoperdon pratense (Meadow Puffball)
7 Oct 2001 OSGR: ST88 51° 40’ N, 2° 10’ W Vice County: East Glos (VC 33) England
Image 1: FruitbodiesImage 2: Fruitbodies - close-upImage 3: Fruitbody - immature - LSImage 4: Fruitbody - mature - LS

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
() Pegler, D.N., Laessoe, T. & Spooner, B.M. 1995 British Puffballs, Earthstars & Stinkhorns 255pp, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Lycoperdon pratense (Meadow Puffball) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Lycoperdon pratense (Meadow Puffball)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 1 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Lycoperdon pratense (Meadow Puffball)

A widespread and very common puffball of all types of short grassland from garden lawns and golf courses to heaths, downs and grazed pasture.

1593

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