Geastrum limbatum Fr. sensu Bresadola
no common name
Geastraceae
Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Introduction to the Macrofungi
no common name
Geastraceae
Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Introduction to the Macrofungi
Photograph
Species Information
Summary:
Features include 1) size 6cm or more across when the outer covering of the fruitbody has expanded out into star-like rays leaving the exterior of the rays clean, 2) non-hygroscopic rays, 3) dark wood brown to light drab spore case on short pallid stem, 4) opening by a distinct cone-shaped peristome that is often paler than the rest of the spore case, and 5) spores that are round and warty. Geastrum limbatum Fr. is regarded as a synonym of Geastrum coronatum Pers. by Pegler(4), but to simplify the issues, that concept is described separately. The four descriptions here refer to Geastrum limbatum Fr. sensu Bresadola - those of Coker(3) and Smith(49) are specifically named that way, with Smith(49) referring to the Coker(3) concept, and those of Ramsey(1) and Smith(4) appear to depend on Smith(49), (although Smith(4) uses the authority Geastrum limbatum Jungh.). Smith(49) specifically says that he is not following the concept of Cunningham. Coker is trying to refine the concept because of finding many American herbarium specimens labeled G. limbatum that would better be referred to G. rufescens, G. triplex, or G. pectinatum. He is also distinguishing it from G. limbatus of Hollos and of Massee and Berkeley in Europe that looks like Geastrum rufescens except for a blackish and more bald spore case with a more definite mouth.
Microscopic:
spores 3.5-4.5 microns in diameter, round, verrucose; capillitial threads thick-walled, colorless to dull brown, smooth to slightly incrusted, (Smith(4)), spores 3.5-4.5 microns in diameter, round, warty, pale bister as revived in KOH; capillitial threads colorless to dull brown, thick-walled, smooth or with some adhering debris, (Smith(49)), spores 3.7-4.8 microns in diameter, round, distinctly warted; capillitial threads up to 7 microns thick, straight, unbranched, colored like the spores, (Coker(3))
Notes:
G. limbatum was found on range lands in ID, (Ramsey), and is rare in the central and southern US, (Smith(4)). One University of British Columbia collection from BC was collected by T. McIntosh (determined as G. limbatum by A. McKinnon), another UBC collection from BC was collected by V.J. Krajina (determined by R. Bandoni), and a third UBC collection from NM was determined by W.H. Long. They should be compared with the features of Geastrum coronatum Pers. as described here.
Habitat and Range
SIMILAR SPECIES
Geastrum limbatum resembles Geastrum triplex "in most important characters" - it differs from G. triplex "in the splitting away of the outer layer over the central region and the arching up of the middle layer", (Coker(3)). Geastrum fornicatum lacks the definite mouth area, (Smith(49)). Geastrum quadrifidum also has non-hygroscopic rays and a spore case that has pedicel and distinct peristome, but the fruitbody is smaller, the outer layer of the rays is covered with dense coat of white mycelium and debris, and the peristome is not paler than the rest of the spore case, (Ramsey, but note Smith says specifically mouth area of spore case of G. quadrifidum is paler than the remainder of the case). Geastrum rufescens has vinaceous colors and the outer layer does not separate the same way as the rays expand, (Smith(49)). G. rufescens also has the spore case on a pedicel but the apical pore is not sharply delimited.Habitat
on soil in waste places, (Smith(4))
Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Haematostereum gausapatum (Fr.) Pouzar
Thelephora gausapata Fr.