Genus Lycoperdon (Noun)
Meaning
Genus of fungi whose fruiting body tapers toward a base consisting of spongy mycelium.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The genus Lycoperdon consists of about 250 species of fungi that can be found worldwide, especially in soil or on decaying wood.
- Genus Lycoperdon contains several species commonly referred to as puffballs, but it does not include all types of puffballs.
- In some areas of the United States, members of the genus Lycoperdon can be confused with poisonous lookalike species, and identification requires careful analysis.
- Most members of the genus Lycoperdon release their spores by the disintegration of their mature peridium into irregular pieces that can act as propagules.
- When it rains or a host insect eats through the wall of the peridium, some genus Lycoperdon spores will pass into a germinative condition to sprout and colonize its mycelium in an extremely localized zone.