Summary:
{See also Earthstars Table.} Features include 1) a fruitbody 4.5-8cm or more across when the outer covering of the fruitbody has expanded out into 7-12 star-like non-hygroscopic rays, leaving the exterior of the rays encrusted with debris, 2) an inner flesh layer whitish to dark brown but not pinkish, 3) a pale brown to dark brown spore case on a stalk, 4) opening by a distinct cone-shaped peristome that is fibrillose, sometimes with a paler margin, and 5) spores that are round and warty. The use of this name is complicated. Pegler(4) synonymizes Geastrum limbatum Fr. with Geastrum coronatum Pers. To simplify somewhat we have kept separate the descriptions given for the name Geastrum limbatum sensu Bresadola, although it is not clear that a different species is being described. Geastrum coronatum (Schaeff.) Schroet. is a different taxon however, which Breitenbach(2) give as a synonym of Geastrum quadrifidum Pers.: Pers. Pegler(4) give Lycoperdon coronatum Scop. as a synonym of Geastrum quadrifidum Pers. and selects the Breitenbach(2) photograph as illustrative of the species. Bates(1) gives both synonymies. To complicate things further, Smith(49) uses the name Geastrum coronatum Pers. for what is eventually called Geastrum quadrifidum (see that species).

Microscopic:
spores 4.5-5.5 microns in diameter, excluding ornamentation, 5-6.2(6.5) microns in diameter with ornamentation, round, dark brown, verruculose, verruculae 0.3-0.6 microns high, often partly coalescent, 0.5-1(1.5) microns wide; basidia not seen; capillitial hyphae pale yellowish brown, thick-walled, "with narrow, discontinuous lumen, gradually tapered to the tips, partially finely encrusted, especially towards the tips", (Pegler), spores 3.5-4.5 microns excluding warts (Buczacki)

Notes:
A collection from BC at the University of British Columbia was collected by T. Goward and determined by S. Redhead as G. coronatum, but it not clear which sense is being used. Another collection at the University of British Columbia was collected from BC by Trevor Goward and determined by Scott Redhead as Geastrum pseudolimbatum. G. pseudolimbatum Hollos is a homotypic synonym of Geastrum coronatum f. pseudolimbatum (Hollos) Dorfelt & Mull.-Uri, according to the online Species Fungorum, accessed September 6, 2012.

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Peniophora gigantea (Fr.) Massee
Thelephora gigantea Fr.