Grey Puffball vs Least Puffball

Bovista plumbea compared with Bovista limosa

Key Differences

• Grey Puffball is Least Concern while Least Puffball is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Grey Puffball	Least Puffball
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order same	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family same	Lycoperdaceae	Lycoperdaceae
Genus same	Bovista	Bovista
Species	Bovista plumbea	Bovista limosa

Evolutionary Relationship

Grey Puffball and Least Puffball share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Bovista.

Conservation Status

Grey Puffball

LC — Least Concern

Least Puffball

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Grey Puffball	Least Puffball
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Grey Puffball

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil).

Least Puffball

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden