This genus is a basidiomycetous puffball.

Lycoperdon is a genus that contains puffballs. The puffballs releases a cloud of spores (basidiospores) when squeezed, thus perhaps contributing to the etymology of the genus name: Lyco = wolf and perd (from the French 'pet') = intestinal gas. The spores are used in folk medicine for their hemostatic (anti-bleeding) effect. When used for epistaxis (nosebleed), inhalation into the lungs may cause an acute but apparently self-limited pneumonitis. See Strand RD et al. Lycoperdonosis. N Engl J Med 1967;277:89-91 and Henriksen NT. Lycoperdonosis. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1976;65:643-5 for further details. Tom Volk has a good web page on this fungus.

Lycoperdon gemmatum
Lycoperdon perlatum
Lycoperdon pyriforme

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