Definition

Noun 1. A type of fungus: A "true puffball" is a specific kind of fungus belonging to the family Lycoperdaceae. Its defining characteristic is a round or pear-shaped fruiting body that, upon reaching maturity, releases a cloud of powdery spores through a pore or when it is disturbed.

Usage

• The term "true puffball" is used to distinguish these fungi from other similar-looking but unrelated organisms, such as earthstars or false puffballs.
• It is primarily a biological or mycological (fungus-studying) term.
• Example: "We found several true puffballs in the meadow after the rain."

Advanced Usage

• In scientific classification: The term specifies membership in the taxonomic family Lycoperdaceae. For example, "The genus contains some of the largest true puffballs."

Variants and Related Words

• Puffball (noun): A more common, general term for fungi with a similar spore-dispersal mechanism. Not all "puffballs" are "true puffballs" in the strict scientific sense.
• Lycoperdaceae (noun): The scientific family name for true puffballs.

Synonyms

• Puffball (in general, non-scientific usage)

Notes on Meaning

• The key distinction of a "true puffball" is its method of spore dispersal. When mature, the interior becomes a dry, powdery mass of spores. Applying pressure (e.g., from a raindrop, an animal, or a curious human) causes the puffball to "puff" out a visible cloud of spores through an opening at the top.
• It is contrasted with "false puffballs," which may look similar but belong to different fungal families and have different internal structures or spore dispersal methods.

Noun

1. any of various fungi of the family Lycoperdaceae whose round fruiting body discharges a cloud of spores when mature