Balkan Maple vs Common Earthball

Acer hyrcanum compared with Scleroderma citrinum

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balkan Maple	Common Earthball
Kingdom	Plantae (식물)	Fungi (균계)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (피자식물문)	Basidiomycota (담자균류)
Class	Magnoliopsida (목련강)	Agaricomycetes (주름버섯강)
Order	Sapindales (무환자나무목)	Boletales (그물버섯목)
Family	Sapindaceae	Sclerodermataceae
Genus	Acer	Scleroderma
Species	Acer hyrcanum	Scleroderma citrinum

Conservation Status

Balkan Maple

LC — Least Concern

Common Earthball

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balkan Maple	Common Earthball
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balkan Maple

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

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).

Balkan Maple

The Balkan Maple (Acer hyrcanum) is a species in the genus Acer. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

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.