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Brain Puffball
Calvatia craniiformis is a medium-sized puffball that starts out ball-shaped and develops a well-defined sterile base, becoming pear- or skull-shaped. Its thin, smooth, whitish to pale brownish skin breaks away at maturity to release olive-brown spore dust. The cup-like sterile base can persist for weeks afterward.
Edible while the interior is firm and pure white; any yellowing makes it bitter. Cut each one top to bottom to rule out young Amanitas, earthballs (dark interior) and stinkhorn eggs. Do not inhale spore dust; it can cause the lung disease lycoperdonosis.
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Mycology is an evolving science: names, classifications and safety information change as research advances. Entries are compiled from cited sources and reviewed, but may be incomplete or out of date — check the sources, and never rely on this library alone to identify or eat a mushroom.
