Puffball or Common earthball
Lycoperdon, Calvatia species · Scleroderma citrinum
Unidentified gastrointestinal toxins
Strong vomiting, cramps and diarrhoea within a few hours. Rarely dangerous, frequently dramatic, and occasionally sold to restaurants as truffle by people who should know better.
Check in this order
Most decisive first
| Feature | Puffball | Common earthball |
|---|---|---|
| 01Cut it in half | Pure white, uniform, featureless, like a marshmallow. | Firm, purple-black and marbled with white veins, from an early age. |
| 02Skin | Thin, soft, often finely spined or granular. | Thick, hard and coarsely warty, like a rind. |
| 03Weight | Light for its size. | Noticeably dense and heavy. |
Where people go wrong
There is no trap here, only laziness. The test takes one second with a knife and never fails. Cut every ball you pick, individually, and look at the colour.
This page tells you what to check. It does not tell you the mushroom in your hand is safe, and it cannot. If you are not certain, do not eat it, and if you have already eaten something and feel unwell, contact a poison centre immediately and keep an uncooked specimen for identification.
Other pairs