Classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Lycoperdales
Family: Geastraceae
Genus: Geastrum
Species: elegans
Geographic Range
This specific species of earthstar lives within a range of North America.
Habitat
The earthstar is often found in sandy soil. It grows alone or gregariously under hardwoods or conifers. They are most present during the fall season.
Physical Description
The earthstar is small to medium in size. It has a deeply grooved beak and a fine granular coating covering the spore sack. Young specimens have a coating of mycelium on the outer surface, which picks up a substantial amount of adhering debris that can be later found on the undersides of the mature earthstar’s arms.
Reproduction
Earthstars reproduce asexually and they release spores into the air which make more little earthstars.
Fruiting Body
At first a round to egg-shaped ball 1-2 cm across, partially submerged in the substrate, covered with mycelium that picks up sand and debris; with maturity the outer skin peeling back to form 5-7 buff colored to brownish, hygroscopic arms; spore case more or less round, covered with fine granules that are initially whitish but become brownish, pale tan to brownish, with a deeply grooved conical beak that is often surrounded by a brown area; 2-4 cm across when arms are opened; interior of spore case initially solid and white but soon powdery and reddish brown.
Kingdom: Fungi
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Lycoperdales
Family: Geastraceae
Genus: Geastrum
Species: elegans
Geographic Range
This specific species of earthstar lives within a range of North America.
Habitat
The earthstar is often found in sandy soil. It grows alone or gregariously under hardwoods or conifers. They are most present during the fall season.
Physical Description
The earthstar is small to medium in size. It has a deeply grooved beak and a fine granular coating covering the spore sack. Young specimens have a coating of mycelium on the outer surface, which picks up a substantial amount of adhering debris that can be later found on the undersides of the mature earthstar’s arms.
Reproduction
Earthstars reproduce asexually and they release spores into the air which make more little earthstars.
Fruiting Body
At first a round to egg-shaped ball 1-2 cm across, partially submerged in the substrate, covered with mycelium that picks up sand and debris; with maturity the outer skin peeling back to form 5-7 buff colored to brownish, hygroscopic arms; spore case more or less round, covered with fine granules that are initially whitish but become brownish, pale tan to brownish, with a deeply grooved conical beak that is often surrounded by a brown area; 2-4 cm across when arms are opened; interior of spore case initially solid and white but soon powdery and reddish brown.
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