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Foongus is a white, mushroom-like Pokémon with a cap that looks quite similar to a Poké Ball. It has stubby, digit-less arms, a tiny mouth with large pink lips, and pinprick-like dark eyes. A theory suggests that the developer of modern Poké Balls actually modeled it after Foongus's cap due to liking the Pokémon, although this is supposition.
Foongus uses its Poké Ball-like pattern to lure people and Pokémon in grassy areas, before releasing a cloud of poisonous spores to defend itself. The spores can be used as a stomach medicine if thoroughly dried. Foongus moves by either hopping or turning on its side and rolling on its cap. It is one of the shortestGrass-type Pokémon. It prefers damp places, such as around trees.
The pattern on Foongus’s cap looks just like a Poké Ball—a device you don’t see often around Lental. No one can really explain why it looks the way it does.
In Pokémon GO, Foongus could be obtained by completing the Special Research, Distracted by Something Shiny.
Foongus, the Mushroom Pokémon. Foongus release poisonous spores to repel anyone who tries to catch them. For unknown reasons, they resemble Poké Balls.
Foongus is a Pokémon owned by Whitley. She used him to defeat a Sigilyph, earning his Trainer a Pokédex. This Foongus is nicknamed "Foongy". Foongus was a Pokémon liberated by Team Plasma. He first appeared in A Difficult Parting.
Foongus, along with its evolution, is similar to Voltorb and Electrode in that it resembles a Poké Ball.
However, unlike Voltorb and Electrode, it only has a Poké Ball design on it, instead of being in the shape of one.
Likewise, it features the whole design, complete with the circle resembling the button in the middle (contrary to Voltorb's evolutionary line having just the shape and general colors, and according to the Pokédex, being transformed Poké Balls themselves).
Foongus's Shiny form's coloration is reminiscent of that of the Master Ball. It shares this trait with its evolved form.
Foongus and its evolved form share their species name with Paras, Parasect, Shroomish, and Breloom. They are all known as the Mushroom Pokémon.
Foongus appears to be based on Amanita muscaria or mushrooms of the Agaricus genus, due to it being Poison-type. Like Voltorb and its evolved form, the idea of them being mistaken for the standard Item Balls is similar to a mimic, a monster archetype commonly found in RPGs. It tarning as an useful object and its poison type could also generally be a reference to poisonous mushrooms which look like edible mushrooms.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.