| Podaxis pistillaris | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Agaricaceae |
| Genus: | Podaxis |
| Species: | P. pistillaris
|
| Binomial name | |
| Podaxis pistillaris | |
Podaxis pistillaris | |
|---|---|
 | Gills on hymenium |
 | Cap is conical |
 | Hymenium is seceding |
 | Stipe has a ring |
 | Spore print is buff to reddish-brown |
 | Ecology is saprotrophic |
 | Edibility is edible |
Podaxis pistillaris is a very distinctive relative of the puffballs. It is commonly known as the desert shaggy mane, as it bears a superficial resemblance to the shaggy mane, Coprinus comatus; this species lacks the latter's deliquescing gills, however, and the two are not closely related.[1] It grows to 15 cm high and has a hard, woody stem. The large cap, which protects the blackish spore-bearing tissue, splits, and usually falls away at maturity, allowing the spores to be dispersed by wind. Large numbers may appear after soaking rains.[2] It thrives in deserts and semi-deserts of Australia and other countries, often found on termite mounds in South Africa.[3] In the Hawaiian Islands, it is frequently encountered along roadsides and in disturbed areas on the dry sides of the islands, especially in the Kona area of Hawaii and the Kihei area of Maui.
Older synonyms for this species include Lycoperdon pistillare L. (1771) and Scleroderma pistillare (L.) Pers. (1801).
- ^ Kuo, M (June 2017). "Podaxis pistillaris (MushroomExpert.Com)". www.mushroomexpert.com. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
- ^ Fuhrer BA. (2005). Field Guide to Fungi. Bloomings Books Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-876473-51-7.
- ^ Lenz, M.; Priest, M.J. (1999). "The Genus Podaxis (Gasteromycetes) in Australia with a Description of a New Species from Termite Mounds". Australian Systematic Botany. 12: 109. doi:10.1071/SB95043.