Geastrum minimum Schwein.
tiny earthstar
Geastraceae
Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Introduction to the Macrofungi
tiny earthstar
Geastraceae
Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Introduction to the Macrofungi
Photograph
Species Information
Summary:
{See also Earthstars Table.} Features include 1) a small fruitbody 1.5-3cm across when expanding by splitting into 6-10 nonhygroscopic rays, 2) the outermost layer of the rays encrusting debris, 3) a spore case that is pale gray-brown, sometimes whitish-pruinose, with a fibrillose mouth delimited by a weak groove, 4) a short stalk on the spore case, and 5) microscopic characters.
Microscopic:
spores (4.8)5-6(6.2) microns excluding ornamentation, (5.5)6-7.5 microns including ornamentation, round, dark brown, verruculose, the verruculae 0.4-0.7 microns high, up to 2 microns wide, "irregular, rather coarse, sometimes coalescent"; basidia not seen; capillitial hyphae 3-6 microns wide, "yellow-brown, thick-walled, usually with a narrow lumen, gradually tapered towards the tips and occasionally forked, irregularly encrusted, particularly towards the tips", (Pegler), spores 5-6.5 microns across excluding ornamentation, round, coarsely warty, dark brown, (Buczacki)
Notes:
A collection from BC by T. McIntosh was deposited at the University of British Columbia and determined as Geastrum minimum by Robert Chapman.
Habitat and Range
SIMILAR SPECIES
Geastrum coronatum "has much larger fruitbodies and slightly smaller spores" (Pegler). Geastrum quadrifidum "differs most obviously in its fornicate exoperidium" (Pegler).Habitat
on well drained, calcareous soil, sometimes on dunes, (Pegler), usually in small, trooping or +/- tufted groups, fall, (Buczacki)
Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Stereum abietinum (Pers.) Fr.
Thelephora abietina Pers.