Heath Puffball vs Hedgehog Puffball

Lycoperdon ericaeum compared with Lycoperdon echinatum

Key Differences

• Heath Puffball is Data Deficient while Hedgehog Puffball is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Heath Puffball	Hedgehog 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	Lycoperdon	Lycoperdon
Species	Lycoperdon ericaeum	Lycoperdon echinatum

Evolutionary Relationship

Heath Puffball and Hedgehog Puffball share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Lycoperdon.

Conservation Status

Heath Puffball

DD — Data Deficient

Hedgehog Puffball

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Heath Puffball	Hedgehog Puffball
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Heath Puffball

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Taiwan.

Hedgehog Puffball

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden