The saprotrophic Bovista limosa is a characteristic boreal and arctic species with special habitat requirement. It has a scattered but stable distribution in Northern Eurasia and in North America. The estimated number of localities in Fennoscandia is around 1000 (known sites approx. 150) and the total number of localities globally more than 1500. Hence, the population size exceed 20 000 individuals according to IUCN standards. The population is not assessed as declining in Fennoscandia (LC in Norway and not assessed in Sweden) and without decline or particular threats. On European and on global scale it thus qualifies for a Least Concern assessment.

Here we only consider the northern species, which was recognised by Larsson et al. (2009) as a species (B. limosa) distinct from the southern species (B. pusilla).

It is a mainly nothern Eurasian species, present in Fennoscandia and in the northern part of the Russian Federation (Rebriev and Gorbunova 2007, Rebriev and Dvadnenko 2017, Rebriev et al. 2020, Volobuev et al. 2019, Rebiev 2021). Thus its distribution is boreal-arctic. Outside Eurasia it is present in Greenland and some (ca. 5) confirmed localities are from North America (GBIF)

The saprotrophic Bovista limosa is a characteristic boreal and arctic species with special habitat requirement. It has a scattered but stable distribution in Northern Eurasia and in North America. The estimated number of localities in Fennoscandia is around 1000 (known sites approx. 150) and the total number of localities globally more than 1500. Hence, the population size exceed 20 000 individuals according to IUCN standards. The population is not assessed as declining in Fennoscandia (LC in Norway and not assessed in Sweden) and without decline or particular threats. On European and on global scale it thus qualifies for a Least Concern assessment.

According to Jeppson (2018) it is a species of open habitats on calcareous soil with sparse vegetation of low herbs, mosseds and lichens, sometimes in temporarily wet habitats. It can also befound on e.g. road verges, old car parks, abandoned sport fields.

The majority of the known world population is currently in Fennoscandia where it is mainly growing in stable not threatened habitats. 

Despite being an LC species, the most efficient way would be conservation of some of its habitats.

Population genetics studies on the physical extent of genets (and how many ramets per genet) would improve estimates of “mature individuals”.

The species is not used.

Jeppson, M., 2018: Puffballs of northern and central Europe. Mykologiska publikationer 8. Sveriges Mykologiska Förening.

Rebriev Y (2021). The Bovista species diversity in Russia, based on the data of official herbaria (LE, VLA, KEM, MAG, NSK, K, PRM) and the author`s personal mycological collection (YuR). Version 1.2. Yugra State University Biological Collection (YSU BC). Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/3nxvp4 accessed via GBIF.org on 2021-04-23.