Stats

Lifespan

A few weeks

Size

Large

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate grassland

Range

North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Uncommon

About

This round fungus grows in open grasslands across North America and Australia. When ruptured, it releases a massive cloud of millions of dark purple spores.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   spore

   A microscopic spore drifts on air or water and germinates where moisture and substrate meet.
2. 2.
   mycelium

   A thread-like mycelium spreads through the substrate, breaking it down into nutrients.
3. 3.
   fruiting body

   A mature fruiting body emerges to release the next generation of spores.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi

Phylum

Basidiomycota

Class

Agaricomycetes

Order

Agaricales

Family

Lycoperdaceae

Genus

Calvatia

Species

Calvatia cyathiformis