Bovista furfuracea Pers. is a small globose puffball belonging to Bovista subgenus Globaria. It has previously been known as B. pusilla (Batsch) Pers., then including also Lycoperdon dermoxanthum Vittad. (eg Kreisel 1967). The name Bovista pusilla is currently applied to a different species belonging to Bovista subgenus Bovista (cfr Larsson et al. 2009).

Bovista furfuracea is an abundant species with a wide Eurasian distribution. No immediate threat detected, Proposed as LC

Widely distributed in Eurasia but avoiding boreal-subalpine-arctic/alpine regions. Also reported from western Africa and the West Indies. Due to misinterpretations of the name and the potential presence of undescribed, closey related species, distribution records are somewhat unclear.

A frequent species. Population trends unknown.

Bovista furfuracea is a species of open, dry and nutrient-poor habitats on both alkaline and acid soil. It is common on sand dunes, sandy fields and calcareous dry grassland. It occurs in microhabitats with expopsed soil or with a scanty vegetation of low mosses and plants, and is favoured by trampling and moderate soil disturbance, eg by grazing cattle. It also occurs in man-made habitats as parking grounds and roadside verges. In Europe it is distributed from the Mediterranean region north to the hemiboreal zone in southern Scandinavia. It does not occur in boreal or subalpine/subarctic habitats.

No immediate threats, however in a long time perspective decline in habitat quality due to abandoned grazing may have negative effects.

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