It is Pisolithus arhizus or Dyeball. I don't know where that name came from. I believe my parents used to call them Snuffballs because when they break open the dusty material on the inside resembles snuff, a powdered form of tobacco.
The appearance of mushrooms and other objects like this indicates the presence of fungi in the soil, which is normal and good. These above-ground features are the fruiting bodies of the fungus. Some gardeners freak out when they see mushrooms because they think it is a sign of disease. Don't freak out! Fungi in the garden should be tolerated and even celebrated. Here's why.
Most native plant gardeners are also "organic" gardeners. That is, they avoid the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides and fungicides because they understand that healthy plants depend on a healthy ecosystem, starting with the soil. Wild, unaltered soil contains fungi which have a network of extremely fine thread-like strands that attach themselves to plant roots. The fungi are better than green plants at taking up water from the soil. They can do so even when the soil appears to be dry. On the other hand, fungi lack chlorophyll so they can't manufacture their own carbohydrates. Over millions of years of evolution, fungi and green plants have develop a partnership in which the fungi share water with green plants, while the green plants share food with the fungi.
It's a truly marvelous relationship that is usually destroyed by most modern gardening and farming practices. Excessive digging or tilling of the soil, use of chemical treatments, and other common practices kill soil fungi. The result is plants that require extra water and feeding to stay alive.
It can take years or even decades for a really strong soil-plant association to develop. My garden which is over 20 years old is getting there, and that's why I'm seeing these wonderful examples of healthy fungi in the soil.
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