Calvatia sculpta

Calvatia sculpta
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Agaricales
Family:	Agaricaceae
Genus:	Calvatia
Species:	C. sculpta
Binomial name
Calvatia sculpta (Harkn.) Lloyd (1904)
Synonyms[1]
Lycoperdon sculptum Harkn. (1885)

Species of fungus

Calvatia sculpta Mycological characteristics
	Glebal hymenium
	No distinct cap
	Hymenium attachment is not applicable
	Lacks a stipe
	Spore print is brown
	Ecology is mycorrhizal
	Edibility is edible or inedible

Calvatia sculpta, commonly known as the sculpted puffball, the sculptured puffball, the pyramid puffball, or Sierran puffball, is a species of puffball fungus in the family Agaricaceae. Attaining dimensions of up to 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) tall by 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in) wide, the pear- or egg-shaped puffball is readily recognizable because of the large pyramidal or polygonal warts covering its surface. It is edible when young, before the spores inside the fruit body disintegrate into a brownish powder. The spores are roughly spherical, and have wart-like projections on their surfaces.

Originally described from the Sierra Nevada, C. sculpta is found in mountainous areas in western North America, and was found in a Brazilian dune in 2008. It may be easily confused with Calbovista subsculpta, a similar puffball that—in addition to differences observable only with a microscope—is larger, and has slightly raised warts with a felt-like texture. Other similar species include Calvatia arctica and immature specimens of Amanita magniverrucata.