Phylum: Basidiomycota - Class: Agaricomycetes - Order: Boletales - Family: Sclerodermataceae
Scleroderma areolatum, the Leopard Earthball, is similar in appearance to many other Scleroderma species and difficult, therefore, to identify from macroscopic characters alone. It is much smaller that the Common earthball Scleroderma citrinum and rather less frequently encountered - no doubt due at least in part to its smaller size and less conspicuous colouring.
Look out for this swarthy little gasteromycete fungus in damp places under broadleaf trees.
The Leopard Earthball Scleroderma areolatum is fairly common and widespread throughout of Britain and Ireland. These inedible (and possibly poisonous) fungi are found also throughout mainland Europe and in many parts of North America.
This fungus was first validly described in scientific literature in 1818 by German naturalist Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg (1795 - 1876), who gave it the binomial scientific name Scleroderma areolatum. That still remains its generally-accepted name.
Synonyms of Scleroderma areolatum include Scleroderma lycoperdoides Schwein.
The gasteromycetes are not close relatives but simply a group of fungi sharing the characteristic of producing spores within a sealed spherical, oval or pear-shaped casing. It turns out that Scleroderma fungi are close relatives of the boletes, and in particular boletes of the genus Gyroporus.
The generic name Scleroderma comes from the Greek words scler- meaning hard, and -derma meaning skin. Earthballs certainly do have hard (and thick) skins. The specific epithet areolatum comes from the Latin noun areola, which means the small circular region around a nipple - a reference, therefore, to the pale annular region around each scale on the surface of this earthball - like the spots on a leopard, of course!.
There are conflicting reports as to whether Scleroderma areolatum is seriously poisonous; however, it is generally considered as at best inedible and likely to cause stomach upsets.
Typically 1.5 to 4cm acrossl, the rounded fruitbody has a short stalk connected to its substrate by white mycelial threads.
The tough skin of the earthball is less than 1mm thick and initially white, cream or yellow and may turn ochre-brown or green as it ages; at maturity it is covered with dark scales surrounded with creamy-white annular areas giving it the appearance of spots similar to those of a leopard - hence the common name.
Inside the earthball the spore mass is almost white at first but soon turns brown with white marbling before becoming purple-brown throughout and then becoming dry and powdery.
At maturity the skin ruptures leaving an irregular opening via which the wind and rain disperse the spores.
Spherical, 10-15µm diameter, densely covered with spines up to 1.8µm tall which (in contrast with Scleroderma citrinum) are not reticulately connected.
Dark purplish brown.
Odour not distinctive; tasting is inadvisable as this species may be poisonous.
Mycorrhizal, found growing mainly in deciduous woodland.
July to early December in Britain and Ireland.
Earthballs are much less spongy than the various puffballs with which they are sometimes confused.
Lycoperdon perlatum, the common puffball, has pearly, pointed scales and is very spongy to the touch. It is club-like in shape has a rudimentary infertile stipe.
Lycoperdon mammiforme, another of the many puffball species, is white at first before its surface breaks up into large cream scales rather than warts; it, too, is more spongy and is more pear shaped, comprising a fertile ball on a spongy infertile stipe.
Fascinated by Fungi, 2nd Edition, Pat O'Reilly 2016, reprinted by Coch-y-bonddu Books in 2022.
Pegler, D.N., Laessoe, T. & Spooner, B.M (1995). British Puffballs, Earthstars and Stinkhorns. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Dictionary of the Fungi; Paul M. Kirk, Paul F. Cannon, David W. Minter and J. A. Stalpers; CABI, 2008
Taxonomic history and synonym information on these pages is drawn from many sources but in particular from the British Mycological Society's GB Checklist of Fungi.
Fascinated by Fungi. Back by popular demand, Pat O'Reilly's best-selling 450-page hardback book is available now. The latest second edition was republished with a sparkling new cover design in September 2022 by Coch-y-Bonddu Books. Full details and copies are available from the publisher's online bookshop...
"Kama vile ""Scarabidae"" (Scarabidae) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus) na ""Bacillus"" (Bacillus" Ni ndogo sana kuliko Scleroderma citrinum ya kawaida ya dunia na mara chache hupatikana - bila shaka kwa sababu angalau kwa sehemu ya ukubwa wake mdogo na rangi isiyoonekana sana. Angalia kuvu hili dogo lenye rangi nyeusi katika maeneo yenye unyevunyevu chini ya miti yenye majani mapana. Leopard Earthball Scleroderma areolatum ni ya kawaida na imeenea sana kotekote Uingereza na Ireland. Uyoga huo usioweza kuliwa (na labda wenye sumu) hupatikana pia kotekote Ulaya na sehemu nyingi za Amerika Kaskazini. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya kwanza ya mwaka 1818, ""Scleroderma areolata"" ilitambuliwa na mtaalamu wa asili wa Ujerumani, Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg (1795-1876) na kupewa jina la kisayansi la ""Scleroderma areolata.""" Bado hilo ndilo jina linalokubaliwa na watu wengi. Synonyms ya Scleroderma areolatum ni pamoja na Scleroderma lycoperdoides Schwein. Gasteromycetes ni kundi la kuvu ambao wana sifa ya kutengeneza spora ndani ya kifuniko cha mviringo, cha mviringo au cha peari. Scleroderma ni aina ya kuvu ya aina ya Boletus, ambayo ni jamii ya Gyropore. Jina la kawaida Scleroderma linatokana na maneno ya Kigiriki scler- linalomaanisha ngumu, na -derma linalomaanisha ngozi. Kwa hakika mipira ya dunia ina ngozi ngumu (na nzito). "Jina la utani ""areola"" linatokana na neno la Kilatini ""areola,"" linalomaanisha ""kanda ndogo ya mviringo inayozunguka kidevu,"" na linarejelea sehemu ya mviringo iliyo karibu na kila kidonda kwenye uso wa dunia, kama vile madoa ya chui." Kuna ripoti zinazopingana kuhusu ikiwa Scleroderma areolatum ni sumu sana; hata hivyo, kwa ujumla inachukuliwa kuwa haiwezi kuliwa na inaweza kusababisha matatizo ya tumbo. Kwa kawaida, kwa urefu wa 1.5cm hadi 4cm, mwili wa matunda umezungukwa na shina fupi lililounganishwa na substrate yake na nyuzi nyeupe za mycelial. Ngozi ngumu ya mpira wa ardhi ni chini ya 1mm nene na awali nyeupe, cream au manjano na inaweza kugeuka ochre-kahawia au kijani kama ni umri; katika ukomavu ni kufunikwa na magamba giza kuzungukwa na cream-nyeupe maeneo ringlike kutoa kuonekana ya madoa sawa na wale wa chui - kwa hiyo jina la kawaida. Ndani ya mpira wa ardhi, spora ni nyeupe kwa mara ya kwanza, lakini mara moja inageuka kuwa kahawia na marumaru nyeupe kabla ya kuwa rangi ya zambarau-kahawia na kisha kuwa kavu na unga. Wakati wa kukomaa ngozi huvunjika na kuacha ufunguo usio wa kawaida ambao upepo na mvua hutokeza spora. Spherical, 10-15μm kipenyo, densely kufunikwa na spines hadi 1.8μm urefu ambayo (kinyume na Scleroderma citrinum) si reticulatedly kushikamana. Rangi ya kahawia-nyekundu. Harufu si ya kipekee; ladha ni inadvisable kama spishi hii inaweza kuwa sumu. Mycorrhizal, kupatikana kukua hasa katika misitu deciduous. Julai hadi mwanzoni mwa Desemba nchini Uingereza na Ireland. Mipira ya dunia si kama sifongo kama mipira mingine mbalimbali ambayo nyakati nyingine huchanganyikiwa nayo. Lycoperdon perlatum, kipepeo cha kawaida, kina magamba yenye ncha zenye ncha za lulu na ni kama sifongo sana unapogusa. Ni club-kama katika umbo ina rudimentary infertile stipe. Lycopodona mammiforme, aina nyingine ya puffball, ni nyeupe kwanza kabla ya uso wake kuvunjika katika vipande vikubwa vya cream badala ya warts; pia ni spongy zaidi na ina umbo la pear zaidi, ikiwa na mpira wa mazao kwenye stipe ya spongy isiyo na mazao. Fungi, 2nd Edition, Pat O'Reilly, 2016; kuchapishwa tena na Coch-Y-Bond Books, 2022 Pegler, D.N., Laessoe, T. & Spooner, B.M. (1995). Puffballs ya Uingereza, Nyota za Dunia na Stinkhorns. Bustani ya Royal Botanic, Kew. Kamusi ya Fungi; Paul M. Kirk, Paul F. Cannon, David W. Minter na J. A. Stalpers, CABI, 2008 Historia ya Taxonomic na habari ya maana kwenye kurasa hizi ni kuchukuliwa kutoka vyanzo vingi lakini hasa kutoka British Mycological Society ya GB Checklist ya Fungi. Alipendezwa sana na uyoga. Kwa mujibu wa gazeti la The New York Times, kitabu cha Pat O'Reilly kinachapishwa katika toleo la 450 na kinachapishwa katika toleo la 50 na kinachapishwa katika toleo la 50 na kinachapishwa katika toleo la 50. Toleo la pili la hivi karibuni lilichapishwa tena na muundo mpya wa jalada mnamo Septemba 2022 na Coch-Y-Bond. Maelezo kamili na nakala zinapatikana kutoka duka la vitabu la mtandaoni la mchapishaji...