Identification
A round yellowish fruit body with a warty skin, no proper stem; inside — at first white, quickly purple-black gleba. Real puffballs stay white inside.
Why it is dangerous
Gastrointestinal poisoning: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. In a French series of 134 earthball cases, 7 % were rated moderate or severe. Confusion happens when it is sliced young, before the gleba darkens.
In practice
- Cut the "puffball": dark or marbled inside — discard.
- Edible puffballs are uniform white through and through; see the pear-shaped puffball.