Yellow-Stalked Puffball

Description:

From the reference: "Ecology: Mycorrhizal with oaks; growing alone or gregariously; fall, or over winter in warm climates; apparently distributed from Arkansas to Massachusetts, but most common in the southern Appalachians. The illustrated and described collections are from Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia. Fruiting Body: Spore case round or nearly so, 10–15 mm across, orangish yellow, bald, with a ridged, crimson, beak-like opening; outer skin initially covering spore case but soon breaking apart to leave collar-like fragments at the base of the spore case, pale yellow, felt-like; interior powdery at maturity, ivory colored; stem 4–5 cm long, 1 cm thick, composed of longitudinal, interwoven yellowish strands; odorless."

Habitat:

These were seen just off a hiking trail in Pickett State park. There are a lot of oak trees in the area as well as other trees. The ground was covered with oak leaves.

Notes:

This was the first time I've seen this type of mushroom