Lycoperdon cupricum Bonord., often cited as a synonym, is L. molle (Demoulin 1971).

Lycoperdon decipiens is a Eurasian species of dry and warm, grazed calcareous grasslands and light mosaic deciduous woodlands on calcareous soil. The trend for these habitat types is decreasing.
Suggested assessment: VU (A)

Widely distributed on the Eurasian continent, particularly in the mediterranean area and in continental steppe grasslands of Central and Eastern Europe. Reaches southernmost parts of Sweden in the north. Although having been reported from the Americas it is not present there, according to Demoulin (1971).

Known from appr. 600 localities world-wide (GBIF), most of them in Europe. The American records should not be taken into account since they might belong to other species.
The European trend for grazed calcareous dry grasslands, being its preferred habitat, is decling due to changing land use, a fact that is detrimental to the populations of L. decipiens.

Area of distribution (minus North American records): EOO - LC/AOO VU

Saprotrophic. Grows in dry, calcareous grazed grasslands and (rarely) in light mosaic deciduous woodlands with patches of open grassland. Themophilous.

Lycoperdon decipiens is threatened bu overgrowth due to changing agricultural methods (grazing decreases or ceases).

Monitoring of known localities to keep up with habitat changes or habitat loss.

The American populations identified as L. decipiens should be revisited and investigated with molecular methods.

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