Lycoperdon perlatum

Common Name: Common Puffball

Synonyms: 

Substrate: Ground

Location: Hardwood forests or elsewhere

Spore Color: Yellow-brown to dark brown

Comments: 

This is one of the most common puffballs around. It is white, grows from the ground (not from wood) and has tiny spines on surface that can rub off when touched. There is usually a small base to the puffball.

Lookalikes: 

Lycoperdon pyriforme grows from wood. Vascellum curtisii is smaller and is more commonly encountered in mulched areas. Lycoperdon marginatum has thicker scales that peel off in sheets and has a less developed base.

Pictures:

9/13/12 - Brown County State Park - Nashville, IN