Earthball Scleroderma aurantium

Earthball is technically not a mushroom; rather it is in a group of fungi called puffballs. The spores are formed inside an enclosed fruiting body and becoming dusty at maturity at which time the fruiting body breaks open allowing the spores to be windblown away.

This fruiting body is roundish to oblong, 2-4" wide by 1-3" high, brown to yellow-brown, covered with small dark brown, rough warts.  The peridum or rind is thick, yellow-brown, interior surface of peridium yellow.  Gleba (interior or spore mass) is white initially becoming marbled purple and finally purple-brown to dark brown as spores become mature.

Although a native of North Carolina, it is more frequent in the western mountains.  It can be found in forests or other natural areas.  Singly, or in small groups on soil or rotted wood in mixed conifer-hardwood forests.