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Sessile Earth Star
Geastrum fimbriatum
31.0551, -85.8832
Field Notes
Description:
Starting out, the Sessile Earth Star is spherical in shape. They are also considered hypogeous in the beginning which basically means the fruit body is underground. As they mature they push up through the ground and then the outer layer (called the exoperidium) opens up. As it opens the flesh splits into 5 - 8 "rays" (that is according to Wikipedia...in my observations they've always split into 7). The inner sac is greyish to a yellowish, whitish color that turns to a dark brown as the spores mature. The spores are released through a cone shaped pore that protrudes from the top of the sac. Raindrops cause the sac to contract which helps to release the spores. These mushrooms have no stalk or stem.
Habitat:
They grow throughout eastern North America, parts of Central and South America, parts of Asia, and in Europe. They grow, usually, in the presence of hard wood trees and one source I have states that they prefer calcareous soil. They grow directly on the ground in groups and in fairy rings.
Notes:
I'm guessing they got the name "Sessile" because of the fact that they have no stem, not really sure. Everything I've ever read says these mushrooms are not edible, including a Wikipedia article. However, the Wikipedia article also noted that it is consumed by the tribal people of central India.
The first time I saw one it made me think of a cartoon flower rather than a star. I thought it was one of the coolest mushrooms I had ever seen. It had what appeared to be a fleshy cap like what a regular mushroom has, but then there was the puffball sitting on top. I've seen plenty of mushrooms prior that might have a split in the cap but never occurring in such a uniform pattern all the way around the entire cap. Very cool!
For this description, some of it comes from my own personal observation and I also used Wikipedia a little bit but my main reference has been the book Mushrooms by Thomas Læssøe.
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