Two bits of amber discovered in a lab basement hold ancient evidence of a fungi famous for controlling the minds of its victims.

Red coral fungus, ‘Ramaria araiospora.’ When it comes to the natural world, fungi are (truly) in a kingdom all their own.

Part of the puffball group, these mushrooms have a unique star-shaped appearance. As they mature, the outer layer of the fruiting body peels back much like petals on a flower to reveal a central ...

Giant puffballs are huge round or pear-shaped fungi containing numerous spores — a 10- to 15-inch-wide giant puffball is said to contain 7 trillion spores. Giant puffballs can grow as big as a ...

The tour group Sunday ranged in age from 24 to 66. Some brought their own woven baskets. Part of the fascination with mushrooms, and the difficulty with identifying them, is their incredible ...

Further up the shore, I spot a single, fat white orb in the sandy ground. It’s a solid, sturdy puffball mushroom, pregnant with more than a trillion spores.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 3514 into law in August. The bill designates calvatia gigantea, commonly known as the "giant puffball," as the official state mushroom of Illinois.

Cover with a bowl or jar. If the mushroom is not too young, too old, or too deteriorated, the spores will slowly collect on the paper. A spore print will be visible in 1–12 hours." ...

The giant puffball mushroom can be found in grassy areas around the state, and can sometimes be as large as 20 inches wide. As puffballs mature, their outer layers flake to reveal yellow and green ...

Spore print from the toxic False Parasol Mushroom. (Author photo) Mushrooms that aren't toxic are quite healthy and tasty. They have large amounts of protein, potassium and polysaccharides which can ...