Calvatia bovista

Calvatia bovista
Calvatia bovista, seen in Ohio, US
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Agaricaceae
Genus: Calvatia
Species:
C. bovista
Binomial name
Calvatia bovista
(L.) T. Macbr.
Calvatia bovista
Glebal hymenium
No distinct cap
Hymenium attachment is irregular or not applicable
Lacks a stipe
Spore print is white to olive-brown
Ecology is saprotrophic
Edibility is edible or inedible

Calvatia bovista is a species of Calvatia mushroom.

Description

The fruiting body is 10 to 25 centimetres (4 to 10 in) high and 5 to 25 cm (2 to 10 in) wide, round on top with a wide stemlike sterile base (not producing spores), often half the height of the fruiting body.[1] The spores are 4–6.5 μm, round, minutely warted or spiny. The spore print is white and cheesy when young, brownish and dry in age.[1]

It is the second largest Calvatia in North America.[1]

Habitat

It is fairly common and found in habitats such as pastures and open woods.[1]

Uses

As with other Calvatia mushrooms, it is edible when young, and it is used in medicine.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Arora, David (1986) [1979]. Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi (2nd ed.). Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press. p. 686. ISBN 978-0-89815-170-1.
  2. ^ Wild edible fungi: a global overview of their use and importance to people; page 132. Boa, E.R., Food & Agriculture Org., 2004. ISBN 9251051577/ISBN 9789251051573