Maybe this year is going to be another one that's not too good for fungi - like last year, too damp generally, and the earth too wet. But whatever the conditions, earthballs seem to thrive.
These are the Common Earthball, Scleroderma citrinum, but the Scaly Earthballs, Scleroderma verrucusa, are also easy to find in Buck Wood - they're scalier, and sit closer to the ground.
The one on the right here is old, it's already exploded its cloud of spores into the air and is deflated like a punctured ball. Eventually it will be an unpleasant gooey yellow mess.
The name is one that aptly describes the fungus, and although we'd refer to it as the Latin name, it's actually from the Greek: sclero which means hardening, and derma meaning skin - verruca is obvious, and is Latin; citrinum is also obvious, meaning yellow, like citrus fruits.
And, by the way, they're poisonous - apparently some people mistake them for truffles, but I don't think that's likely hereabouts!
CA
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