My dad lived in Daggett (Mojave Desert, just east of Barstow) in the '70s. When I’d go there I’d occasionally see what people called ‘puffballs’. These were tan orbs about three inches in diameter that had a hard, brittle outer shell. If you kicked them, they released a cloud of ‘powder’ (spores or small seeds or something).
What are ‘puffballs’?
Yep, I get them all the time on my lawn here in Northwest Florida.
Lycoperdaceae. Thanks, David!
Puffballs are one form of fruiting body of a fungus, which largely lives saprophytically underground – just as mushrooms/toadstools are another such form.
Desert climates have xerophytic organisms, ones adapted to arid climates. That includes xerophytic fungi, though they aren’t particularly obvious to the average desert-watcher.
I certainly haven’t seen many. And I was looking for them.
Puffball fungi are pretty common here in the Eastern US Forest, and, I gotta say, any fungi in the Mojave should be treated with utmost respect; they are some tough little critters, well-honed and amazing that they can survive there.
Trod lightly on them.
I had heard that they are eatable, not being a fan of mushrooms myself I was never tempted to try. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this, or do I just have an enemy?
Certain larger species, if eaten before they start seriously sporulating ( i.e. while the entire body mass is solid and white ), are considered decent edibles by some. With the big puffballs a favorite method I’ve heard of is breading and frying the slices. Never tried them and I’ve heard they’re a bit bland, but there you go.
As always though the standard disclaimer with fungi is when in doubt, avoid. I don’t believe that any of that group are exceptionally toxic, but some might give you tummy aches. Or at least taste like crap. Also any wild fungus, even properly identified edible ones, should be treated a little tentatively on first exposure. Some folks get odd individual reactions to things other folks will just gobble down.
Don’t all mushrooms??? 
They were pretty common in Northern Louisiana near Texas where I grew up as well. IIRC there well several different kinds and I loved kicked them around and seeing a little cloud of “smoke” or pretending to do magic tricks with them. I haven’t seen anything like that here in New England.
Not to mention that effects can also vary depending on the cooking process. :eek: I bought some very nice chanterelles, but discovered that if you don’t cook them for at least 15 minutes that you will soon wish you had never been born. :eek: 
We had them here in the PNW when I was a kid. I haven’t looked for them recently, so they may or may not still be. IIRC, I’d see them in mid to late summer.
I’ve been thinking about ‘puffballs’, and looked up this thread. The link that David_Simmons provided that was the answer I was looking for is dead. (So is David_Simmons, sadly. 
) I’m not seeing pictures of what I remember when I search on ‘Lycoperdaceae’. Anyone have images from a desert environment, especially with them dried out?
Should be something you recognize in this Google Images search.
(BTW, check out this pre-dry one I opened once. Looks really alien.)
