Lycoperdon

Lycoperdon
Lycoperdon perlatum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Agaricaceae
Genus: Lycoperdon
Type species
Lycoperdon perlatum
Pers. (1794)
Synonyms[1]
  • Sufa Adans. (1763)
  • Priapus Raf. (1808)
  • Cerophora Raf.(1814)
  • Utraria Quél. (1873)
  • Bovistella Morgan (1892)
  • Calvatiella C.H.Chow (1936)
  • Capillaria Velen. (1947)
  • Handkea Kreisel (1989)
  • Lycoperdon subgen. Bovistella (Morgan) Jeppson & E.Larss. (2008)
  • Lycoperdon subgen. Utraria (Quél.) Jeppson & E.Larss. (2008)

Lycoperdon is a genus of puffball mushrooms. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains about 50 species.[2] In general, it contains the smaller species such as the pear-shaped puffball and the gem-studded puffball. It was formerly classified within the now-obsolete order Lycoperdales, as the type genus which, following a restructuring of fungal taxonomy brought about by molecular phylogeny, has been split. Lycoperdon is now placed in the family Agaricaceae of the order Agaricales.

The scientific name has been created with Greek words (lycos meaning wolf and perdomai meaning to fart)[citation needed] and based on several European dialects in which the mushroom name sounds like wolf-farts.

Most species are edible, ranging from mild to tasting distinctly of shrimp.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference urlFungorum synonymy: Lycoperdon was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kirk 2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).