Conservation staff spot late-season puffball mushrooms in Clinton

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

CLINTON, Mo., (KBSI) – The Missouri Department of Conservation says a cluster of purple-spored puffball mushrooms has recently appeared outside its Clinton office, offering a glimpse of a unique late-season species.

According to MDC staff, puffballs are solid white inside when young. As they mature, the outer skin dries and cracks, allowing wind to disperse spores and begin a new generation.

MDC officials noted that gently tapping a puffball can release a visible cloud of spores — a natural phenomenon often seen in the fall.

The department shared a photo of the mushrooms taken by Ginger Miller, MDC conservation educator.