Summary:
{See also Earthstars Table.} Geastrum schmidelii is "at once distinguished in the field by the strongly sulcate peristome, by the short pedicel of the spore sac, and by its not being fornicate when fully expanded" (Smith(49)). Other features include relatively small size, 4-8 non-hygroscopic rays, and persistent outer mycelial layer from the rays that encrusts debris. Note the discrepancy in spore size among descriptions.

Microscopic:
spores 4.8-5.6 microns wide, excluding ornamentation, 5.6-6.5 microns in diameter including ornamentation, round, verruculose, verruculae irregular, often coalescent, 0.3-0.7 microns high, 0.3-1.5 microns across; basidia not seen; capillitial hyphae 2-6 microns wide, pale brown to yellow-brown or almost colorless, "thick-walled, with a narrow, discontinuous lumen", gradually and finely tapered to rounded or subacute tips 1-2.5 microns in diameter, irregularly encrusted, (Pegler), spores 3.5-4.2 microns in diameter, round with a thin colorless envelope "into which slightly colored warts project", near bister under the microscope; capillitium pallid to slightly yellowish in iodine, threads 3-6 microns wide with very thick walls, (Smith(49)), spores 3.7-4.6 microns in diameter, round, warted, with a visible oil droplet, (Coker)

Notes:
A collection from BC, collected by A. McKinnon and determined by P. Kruger, is at the University of British Columbia (as Geastrum nanum). RANGE Geastrum schmidelii was examined from NJ, NC, NE, TX, VA, and Cuba, (Coker), and MI (Smith(49)).

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Leptoglossum lobatum (Pers.) Ricken