Upper Peninsula Photonaturalist No. 1 - Puffball Particular

Fungi are trending. Whether for food, medicine, industry, ecology, or art, mushrooms are getting more of the attention they deserve. Beyond such practical considerations, many people just get a kick out of knowing what those strange things popping out the ground are called. However, with over 2,500 species in Michigan alone, putting names to mushrooms can be a real challenge. Many people recognize puffballs, but did you know that puffballs are not a coherent taxonomic group? DNA analysis shows that, despite their similar forms, puffballs belong to many diffe

rent families. Some are not even fungi. The Upper Peninsula probably has more than 30 species that could be called puffballs. For a glimpse into UP's fungal diversity, here's a close look at the distinctive features of seven puffball species I photographed at my families homestead near Marquette.

UP Photonaturalist is produced Chris Burnett, a former member of UPLC's board and staff and long-time photographic artist at the Zero Degrees Gallery in Marquette.

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