Gem-studded Puffball
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Lycoperdon perlatum
Scarce & localized in Britain.
The fruit body ranges in shape from pear-like with a flattened top, to nearly spherical, and reaches dimensions of 1.5 to 6 cm (1⁄2 to 2+1⁄4 in) wide by 3 to 9 cm (1+1⁄4 to 3+1⁄2 in) tall.
It has a stem-like base, and is whitish before browning in age.
The outer surface of the fruit body (the exoperidium) is covered in short cone-shaped spines that are interspersed with granular warts.
The base of the puffball is thick.
It is initially white, but turns yellow, olive, or brownish in age.
The reticulate pattern resulting from the rubbed-off spines is less evident on the base.
Seen from Late Spring-Early Autumn.