Family: Sclerodermataceae

Family: Sclerodermataceae

Fungi:> Basidiomycota:> Basidiomycetes:> Boletales:> Sclerodermataceae:> Scleroderma.

These fungi are commonly known as Earth-balls which have a yellow to brown thick tough peridium (outer lay). Which in closes a powdery gleba without capillitium which is purple when immature with sculptured spores.

Genus: Scleroderma

Species: Scleroderma bovista Fr. Spores are released through an opening in the top.
Common Name: None Found: Leptospermum Substrate: Ground Spores: Brown	Height: 40 mm Width: 30 mm Season: Autumn Edible: Unknown

Species: Scleroderma cepa Pers. These are hard lumps containing a solid mass of purplish spores. At maturity the purple spore powder is released by the skin flaking from the top, to form a ragged crater with lobes that curl outwards.
Common Name: Earthball Found: Under leptospermum Substrate: Partly buried in ground Spores: Brown	Height: 40 mm Width: 40 mm Season: Autumn Edible: No, bitter tasting

Species: Scleroderma verrucosum
Common Name: Earthball Found: Under oak Substrate: Ground Spores: Brown	Height: 50 mm Width: 30 mm Season: Autumn Edible: No

Unidentified

The fungi below are those that I have been unable to identify beyond there genus. This maybe due to me miss understanding the keys or a species that have not yet been described (named).

Species: Scleroderma sp. This is very similar to S. cepa but for its very large size and disperse spores much the same way. Interesting its now been over 15 years since I last saw any of theses.
Common Name: None Found: Mixed Forest Substrate: Ground Spores: Brown	Height: 80 mm Width: 120 mm Season: Edible: No Toxic

Species: Unknown sp. These may very well be immature S. cepa as they came from the same habitat.
Common Name: None Found: Under leptospermum Substrate: Partly buried in ground Spores: Brown	Height: 20 mm Width: 20 mm Season: Winter Edible: No

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