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Glite Dictionary
Calvatia gigantea

Calvatia gigantea

9.9
A large edible round mushroom that can grow up to two feet wide
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Calvatia gigantea
  • Many mushroom enthusiasts seek out Calvatia gigantea for its mild flavor and impressive size.

Examples

  • The Calvatia gigantea found in the field weighed nearly fifteen pounds.

  • I found a huge Calvatia gigantea in the forest!

  • A single Calvatia gigantea can provide enough mushroom for several meals.

  • Have you ever tasted Calvatia gigantea?

  • A single Calvatia gigantea can provide enough mushroom for several meals.

  • Many mushroom enthusiasts seek out Calvatia gigantea for its mild flavor and impressive size.

  • The Calvatia gigantea found in the field weighed nearly fifteen pounds.

Synonyms

giant puffball
vsCalvatia gigantea
6.7

A large round white mushroom people eat when it is young

is the specific scientific name rather than a general common name
true puffball
vsCalvatia gigantea
  • Specialized
9.3

A round mushroom that releases a cloud of spores when you touch it

is a single large edible species rather than the broader family that releases spores

Surface Forms

Calvatia gigantea singular
Calvatia giganteas plural

Morphology

Calvatia + gigantea

This is a Latin binomial combining the genus name 'Calvatia' (a puffball fungus) with the species epithet 'gigantea' (= giant), so the meaning is compositionally 'giant Calvatia' (a very large puffball). Scientific names operate compositionally across languages, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer the intended meaning, making it transparent.

Etymology

Calvatia gigantea comes from Latin and gives a clear image: Calvatia means 'bald' for its smooth, round surface and gigantea means 'giant', so it looks like a huge, smooth ball. That's why the name now refers to a very large, edible puffball fungus.