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Calvatia gigantea

(Batsch) Lloyd

Giant Puffball

GNRUnranked Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
GNRUnrankedGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1058870
Element CodeNFAGA0R010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryFungus
KingdomFungi
PhylumBasidiomycota
ClassBasidiomycetes
OrderLycoperdales
FamilyLycoperdaceae
GenusCalvatia
Synonyms
Langermannia gigantea(Batsch) Rostk.
Concept Reference
Index Fungorum and Species Fungorum. 2018. In Index Fungorum-Species Fungorum (https://indexfungorum.org and https://speciesfungorum.org) database export on 16 June 2018. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Taxonomic Comments
Mycobank (2025) include Calvatia bovista and Langermannia maxima in Calvatia gigantea, while Species Fungorum (2025) treat them as distinct.
Ecology & Habitat
Other Nations (2)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
IndianaSNRYes
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
AlbertaSUYes
British ColumbiaSUYes
Nova ScotiaSUYes
ManitobaSUYes
QuebecS4Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
References (5)
  1. Index Fungorum and Species Fungorum. 2018. <i>In</i> Index Fungorum-Species Fungorum (<a href="https://indexfungorum.org" target="_blank">https://indexfungorum.org</a> and <a href="https://speciesfungorum.org" target="_blank">https://speciesfungorum.org</a>) database export on 16 June 2018. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. Index Fungorum and Species Fungorum. 2025. <i>In</i> Index Fungorum-Species Fungorum (<a href="https://indexfungorum.org" target="_blank">https://indexfungorum.org</a> and <a href="https://speciesfungorum.org" target="_blank">https://speciesfungorum.org</a>) database export on 29 September 2025. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. Kroeger, P. and S.M. Berch. 2017. Macrofungus species of British Columbia. Prov. B.C., Victoria, B.C. Tech. Rep. 108. Available online: &lt;<a href="https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Tr/TR108.htm">https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Tr/TR108.htm</a>&gt;.
  4. Phillips, R. 1991. Mushrooms of North America. Little, Brown and Company, Boston. 319 pp.
  5. Species Fungorum. Species Fungorum Partnership (CABI, IT IS, Catalogue of Life). http://www.speciesfungorum.org. (accessed 2015)