October 2000 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. Common Name Spiny Puffball Fruiting Body Pestle shaped, densely covered with coarse spines, which fall away with age to reveal a smooth surface decorated with a network, initially white, then brown with age, insides ripening into a brown powdery spore mass which is released through a small apical opening in the thin outer skin, to about 5 cm across and 6 cm high Flesh White when young Smell Indistinct Taste Indistinct Season Late summer to autumn Distribution Infrequent Habitat In deciduous woods Spore Print Brown Microscopic Features Spores spherical, with small spines (4-6) µm Edibility Not edible Notes Echinatum means 'with spines' |