Gem Puffball

Description:

White to off-white fungi with a spiny exoperidium on the fruiting body. This is the most common puffball found. "Several chemical compounds have been isolated and identified from the fruit bodies of L. perlatum, including sterol derivatives, volatile compounds that give the puffball its flavor and odor, and the unusual amino acid lycoperdic acid. Laboratory tests indicate that extracts of the puffball have antimicrobial and antifungal activities."

Habitat:

Old growth forest floor with Western Hemlock and Sitka Spruce.