Stump puffball

Fruiting Body:
Starting spherical becoming slightly flattened or club-shaped. White turning cream to brown with a powdery finish when young. Darker umbo-like top which opens to release the spores.

Flesh:
Pure white and soft when edible but inedible when the inside starts turning yellow then becoming brown and dusty as the spores form.

Habitat:
Mixed woodland, pasture, commons and heaths, but always growing on old stumps or the roots of stumps underground. Can grow individually but usually in very large groups with the chance of finding more nearby.

Spore Print:
Olive/brown.

Taste / Smell:
Good but can be a bit ‘spongy’ in texture. Must be eaten while the flesh is still white throughout.

Frequency:
Common.

Other Facts:
The spores breathed in however can cause Lycoperdonosis, a lung disease, so care should be taken handling mature specimens.