Common Earthball vs Many-Rooted Earthball

Scleroderma citrinum compared with Scleroderma polyrhizum

Key Differences

• Common Earthball is Least Concern while Many-Rooted Earthball is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Earthball	Many-Rooted Earthball
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order same	Boletales (Boletales)	Boletales (Boletales)
Family same	Sclerodermataceae	Sclerodermataceae
Genus same	Scleroderma	Scleroderma
Species	Scleroderma citrinum	Scleroderma polyrhizum

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Earthball and Many-Rooted Earthball share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Scleroderma.

Conservation Status

Common Earthball

LC — Least Concern

Many-Rooted Earthball

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Earthball	Many-Rooted Earthball
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Earthball

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, Chile).

Many-Rooted Earthball

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Portugal, and Taiwan.

Common Earthball

<em>Scleroderma citrinum</em>, commonly known as the common earthball or pigskin poison puffball, is a widespread ectomycorrhizal fungus in the family Sclerodermataceae, classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. The species occurs across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, typically found on forest floors, decomposing wood, and mineral-rich acidic soils in association with hardwood and conifer tree roots. Unlike true puffballs, <em>Scleroderma citrinum</em> is considered poisonous and should not be confused with edible species. Its thick, warty outer skin ranges from yellowish-brown to ochre and encloses a dark purplish-black spore mass that matures over time. The species plays an important ecological role as a mycorrhizal partner, forming mutualistic associations with the roots of oaks, beeches, pines, and other trees, facilitating the uptake of water and nutrients by host plants in exchange for photosynthetically derived carbon. Fruiting bodies typically emerge from late summer through autumn, releasing spores through irregular cracks or a central apical opening when mature. <em>Scleroderma citrinum</em> is a host for the parasitic fungus <em>Pseudoboletus parasiticus</em>, making it ecologically significant within forest fungal communities. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇷 Brazil 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇹🇼 Taiwan