Calvatia excipuliformis (Pers.) Perdek. syn. Handkea excipuliformis (Scop.) Kreisel syn. Lycoperdon saccatum Schaeff. ex Fr. syn. C. saccata (Fr.) Morgan syn. L. excipuliformis Schaeff. ex Pers. Beutel-Stäubling Lycoperdon en sac. Fruit body 8–20cm high, pestle-shaped, head 3–12cm across, pale buff at first then brownish, outer surface of small spines or warts which soon disappear exposing the yellowish, papery inner wall of which the upper portion breaks away to expose the spores. Gleba purplish-brown at maturity; sterile base of sponge-like texture, brownish and occupying the entire stem. Spores olive-brown, globose and warted, 3.5–5.5µ in diameter. Habitat on waste ground, heaths, pastures and woodland. Season late summer to autumn but the sterile stalk and empty cup-like base of the head may persist for many months. Common. Edible when young. Distribution, America and Europe. This photograph shows unusually short-stemmed specimens; the young one (bottom right) is the most typically shaped.