Portal:Fungi/Selected species/9
Battarrea phalloides is an inedible species of mushroom in the family Tulostomataceae, and the type species of the genus Battarrea. Known in the vernacular as the scaley-stalked puffball or the sandy stiltball, it has a woody, slender, and scaly stem that can typically reach 40 centimeters (15.7 in) in length. Although its general appearance resembles a more typical agaric with stem and gills, atop the stem is a spore sac, consisting of an endoperidium and a gleba. Battarrea phalloides is found in dry, sandy locations throughout North America, primarily in western regions; it has also been collected in South America, Africa, Australia, Europe, and China. There is currently some disagreement in the literature as to whether the European species B. stevensii is the same species as B. phalloides.