The order included some well-known types such as the giant puffball, the earthstars, and other tuberous fungi.

They were defined as having epigeous basidiomes, a hymenium present, one to three layers in the peridium (outer wall), powdery gleba, and brown spores.

The restructuring of fungal taxonomy brought about by molecular phylogeny has divided this order.

[1][2] Lycoperdales were distinguished by their globose or subglobose fruiting body having a gleba that is powdery at maturity, and generally supported by sterile tissue.

Example genera include Lycoperdon, Bovista, and Calvatia.