Lycoperdon Nut

(Elaphomyces cervinus), a subterranean fungus of the class Ascomycetes. The fruiting body looks much like a hazelnut or walnut; it has a thick, warted, brown shell. The ripened meat disintegrates into a dark brown powder, which consists primarily of spores. The lycoperdon nut grows largely in pine forests, in sandy soil, not far beneath the surface. It is eaten by deer, rabbits, and squirrels. The fungus, a Hart’s truffle, is not related to the true truffle.