Stalked Puffball-in-Aspic or Gelatinous Stalked-Puffball (Calostoma cinnabarinum; the species name, cinnabarinum refer to the color of this puffball - cinnabar )
This is a very strange looking puffball-like mushroom.
The young mushrooms is covered with a thick layer of jelly-like material and looks like the inside of an egg with a strange color (almost like cracked open and egg, only yolk).
As the fungus matures, it sheds its gelatinous layer. This layer breaks into small pieces around the mushroom. Most of the pieces have bright red seeds resembling a pomegranate seed.
When the growing ends up it resembling a little, red/orange balloon glued to the top of a tiny mound.
Stalked Puffball-in-Aspic grows alone or in groups, often in moss beds or in low-lying, wet areas; from spring to autumn. It is seen more often at higher altitudes in eastern North America, Texas, and possibly the Southwest and also Central and South America. It is considered inedible although is eaten or used in folk medicine in some areas.
 |
