About Lycoperdon nigrescens Pers.
Lycoperdon nigrescens Pers., also known by the synonym Lycoperdon foetidum and commonly called the dusky puffball, is a puffball mushroom species belonging to the genus Lycoperdon. This species was first scientifically described in 1794 by Swedish naturalist Göran Wahlenberg. Mature fruit bodies reach up to 6 centimetres (2+1⁄4 inches) in height and 4 centimetres (1+1⁄2 inches) in width. Fruit bodies typically have a roughly pear-shaped cap, covered in spines of varying brightness that eventually break off. The mushroom surface between the spines is dark in color. Thin strands emerge from the base of its stipe. When young, it looks very similar to other Lycoperdon species. As it ages, it grows progressively darker, and it does not develop the prominent stipe that mature Lycoperdon perlatum specimens have. It can be found growing from summer through fall, in conifer forests, hardwood forests, and alpine areas. Its edibility is currently unknown, though related puffball species are edible when they are young, while their internal flesh is still firm and white.
