Dye-maker's False Puffball in Prince George's Co., Maryland (10/21/2025). (c) johnbotany, all rights reserved (Photo ID: 1394594 - Psn: 20)

View Record Details Photo by John Hall MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Prince George's Co., Maryland (10/21/2025). (c) johnbotany, all rights reserved (Photo ID: 1394595 - Psn: 21)

View Record Details Photo by John Hall MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/21/2013).

View Record Details Photo by Scott Housten MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball (interior and exterior of cut fruiting body) in Howard Co., Maryland (10/9/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Joanne Solem MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (11/8/2018). Photo includes fruiting body showing stalk-like, rooting, sterile base.

View Record Details Photo by Joanne Solem MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/30/2014).

View Record Details Photo by Lance Biechele MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/30/2014).

View Record Details Photo by Lance Biechele MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Baltimore City, Maryland (8/20/2020). (c) Thomas Tooke, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 208850 - Psn: 65)

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Baltimore City, Maryland (8/20/2020). (c) Thomas Tooke, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by tmtooke via iNaturalist MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Baltimore City, Maryland (8/20/2020). (c) Thomas Tooke, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by tmtooke via iNaturalist MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/3/2021). (c) feepsfinds, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 444789 - Psn: 76)

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/3/2021). (c) feepsfinds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by feepsfinds via iNaturalist MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (10/9/2018). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 355842 - Psn: 80)

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (10/9/2018). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Joanne Solem MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/3/2021). (c) feepsfinds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by feepsfinds via iNaturalist MBP List

Spores of Dye-maker's False Puffball in Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Cindi Fitzgerald, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

View Record Details Photo by cin579 via iNaturalist MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (10/9/2018). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Joanne Solem MBP List

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Talbot Co., Maryland (10/27/2019). (c) leahy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by leahy via iNaturalist MBP List

Spores collected from a Dye-maker's False Puffball specimen in Howard Co., Maryland (11/8/2018). Round, heavily warted, brown; measured 9.1-10.9 microns.

View Record Details Photo by Robert Solem MBP List

Map Snapshot

15 Records

GA AL WA FR CL MO HO BA BC HA CE PG AA CV CH SM KE QA CN TA DO WI SO WO

Status

This species appears in most North American guides as Pisolithus arhizus. However, molecular phylogenetic studies suggest that Pisolithus arhizus is restricted to the Old World.

Description

Found solitary or in groups on ground (often in infertile, sandy soil); mycorrhizal, especially with pines and oaks. Fruiting body variable in shape, usually oval to club-shaped with a stalk-like rooting base; smooth; yellowish to brown. Outer layer splits irregularly, exposing spore cases embedded in a black gelatinous material; spores at maturity brown, powdery. (J. Solem, pers. comm.)

Relationships

This species is an important mycorrhizal fungus for newly established pine forests. Like Thelephora, it is often inoculated onto pine roots. The blackish jelly has the capability of staining cloth with a bright olivaceous yellow pigment, which is quite valuable in the wool-dying industry. (L. Biechele, pers. comm.)

Seasonality Summary

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Resources

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Citations

No citations linked for this taxon yet.

Eating mushrooms can be dangerous. One should do so only with expert advice and great care. MBP accepts no liability for injury sustained in consuming fungi or other biodiversity. Use of media featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/21/2013). View Record Details Media by Scott Housten.

Dye-maker's False Puffball (interior and exterior of cut fruiting body) in Howard Co., Maryland (10/9/2018). View Record Details Media by Joanne Solem.

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (11/8/2018). Photo includes fruiting body showing stalk-like, rooting, sterile base. View Record Details Media by Joanne Solem.

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/30/2014). View Record Details Media by Lance Biechele.

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Baltimore City, Maryland (8/20/2020). (c) Thomas Tooke, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by tmtooke via iNaturalist.

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/3/2021). (c) feepsfinds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by feepsfinds via iNaturalist.

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (10/9/2018). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Joanne Solem.

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/3/2021). (c) feepsfinds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by feepsfinds via iNaturalist.

Spores of Dye-maker's False Puffball in Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Cindi Fitzgerald, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) View Record Details Media by cin579 via iNaturalist.

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Howard Co., Maryland (10/9/2018). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Joanne Solem.

Dye-maker's False Puffball in Talbot Co., Maryland (10/27/2019). (c) leahy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by leahy via iNaturalist.

Spores collected from a Dye-maker's False Puffball specimen in Howard Co., Maryland (11/8/2018). Round, heavily warted, brown; measured 9.1-10.9 microns. View Record Details Media by Robert Solem.