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Species Information
Summary: {See also Earthstars Table.} Features include a sulcate (pleated) peristome, non-hygroscopic rays, and a spore case with basal collar and fine, innate horizontal striae.
A collection at the University of British Columbia was collected from BC by J. Macoun and determined by J. Dearness. Another at the University of British Columbia was collected by from YT by R. Winder and O. Ceska and determined by O. Ceska. It is also found elsewhere in North America, in Britain and in Europe.
Outer Surface: developing underground, more or less spherical, "often umbonate or onion-shaped, strongly encrusted with soil and debris", 2.8-6.5cm across after expansion of the 6-9 non-hygroscopic rays, which split about halfway, becoming "arched, somewhat recurved or spreading horizontally"; outermost mycelial layer of rays persistent, strongly encrusting soil and debris, middle fibrous layer of rays whitish to dull gray brown, innermost pseudoparenchymatous layer of rays fleshy, sheathing stalk when fresh, forming a basal collar, whitish becoming fawn to cigar brown, "often splitting, soon peeling away from the stalk", (Pegler), 2-8cm across, outer peridium coarse to scaly and often with adhering debris; brownish; splitting at maturity into 6-8 pointed rays to reveal spore case, (Buczacki)
Inner layer: spore case 1-2(2.6)cm in diameter, more or less spherical or depressed, with a distinct basal collar; "covered with a felty or mealy, whitish to pale fawn layer" that is gradually lost when old, "surface beneath this layer often reddish brown and marked with fine striae", striae horizontal, becoming vertical toward the base of the spore case, "especially distinct when rubbed"; peristome [mouth] clearly delimited, conic, 0.2-0.4cm high, plicate [pleated], with mostly 20-25 ridges, (Pegler), spore case 1-3cm, more or less spherical, gray-brown, smooth to floury, papery, with distinct collar-like basal groove, on short stalk; opening by central pore that has beak-like extension and usually halo and 15-20 shallow grooves, (Buczacki)
Spore Mass: dark brown with a purple tinge when mature; columella rounded to conic, whitish or pale brown, (Pegler), dark brown when mature (Buczacki)
Stem: stalk of spore case prominent, a ring-like zone often present at the base of the stalk (Pegler), stalk short, stout, (Buczacki)
Microscopic: spores 3.8-4.8 microns in diameter excluding ornamentation, 5-6 microns in diameter including ornamentation, dark yellow brown, verruculose, verruculae fairly coarse, irregular and sometimes coalescent, 0.3-0.7 microns high, 0.4-1.5 microns wide; basidia not seen; capillitial hyphae 3-8 microns across, smooth or finely encrusted, thick-walled, with narrow lumen, "pale yellow-brown, tapered gradually to rounded tips, occasionally forked", (Pegler)
Habitat / Range
usually gregarious; "in woods, gardens and parks, amongst litter, often on rich or calcareous soil", (Pegler for Britain), usually in small to large, trooping +/- tufted groups; on rich soil in woods, parkland, gardens, dunes, cemeteries and other habitats, most often with conifers; late summer and fall, (Buczacki for Britain/Ireland)
Similar Species
Geastrum pectinatum differs most obviously in lacking the basal collar, but has more elevated warts, and generally somewhat darker capillitial hyphae, (Pegler(4)).
