Calvatia gigantea, commonly known as the giant puffball, is a puffball mushroom found in meadows, fields and deciduous forests in late summer and autumn, across temperate regions worldwide. It is edible when young, before its interior matures into a mass of spores.
Facts
Classification
DietDetritivore or Scavenger 2 System (Realm) Relationship to PeopleUsed in Traditional Medicine 4 Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceSpherical fruiting body growing 10 to 50 centimetres wide and high, white inside when immature and turning greenish brown as it matures 1 Comparison
NatureServe Rank Scientific Name Conservation Status Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Wikidata: Giant Puffball
In Biome
Source Wikipedia: Calvatia gigantea
Source Wikipedia: Calvatia gigantea
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Calvatia gigantea
Introduction
Calvatia gigantea
Size and description section
The giant puffball grows up to 10-50 centimetres (4-19 1/2 in) wide and high.
In Biome: Grassland, lead paragraph (habitat biome), EntityId 309819, target B16267
Calvatia gigantea, commonly known in English as the giant puffball, is a puffball mushroom found in meadows, fields, and deciduous forests in late summer and autumn.
In Biome: Temperate Forest, lead paragraph (habitat biome), EntityId 309819, target B16268
Calvatia gigantea, commonly known in English as the giant puffball, is a puffball mushroom found in meadows, fields, and deciduous forests in late summer and autumn.
View the Source2. FUNGuild: FUNGuild fungal guild database
FUNGuildRecord: CalvatiaQuote, Record: Calvatia
"taxon":"Calvatia" ... "trophicMode":"Saprotroph"
3. GBIF Species API
4. First Nature: Calvatia gigantea
First NatureCulinary NotesQuote, Culinary Notes
Calvatia gigantea is one of several fungi that have been used as a styptic dressing to stem the bleeding of wounds.
5. NatureServe Explorer: Calvatia gigantea
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "GNR"
6. GBIF (IUCN Red List category): GBIF IUCN Red List category for Calvatia gigantea
GBIF (IUCN Red List category)GBIF taxon key 2536058, category fieldQuote, GBIF taxon key 2536058, category field
"category": "NOT_EVALUATED"
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Wikidata: Giant Puffball
- Wikidata Q222449, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
- Child Taxon Of: Agaricales, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the SourceReader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.