Star of the Land
27 October
Very exciting find this morning … well, exciting for someone like me. J was working on the garden and introduced me to this splendid fungus growing at the base of one of our compost heaps. This heap is the one where all the fibrous and partially lignified materials go. Ones that take several years sometimes to break down and become compost … which means that the base of the heap is rarely disturbed.
Perfect conditions for an “Earthstar” to make its home. Certainly Geastrum sp. and possibly Geastrum saccatum, the Sessile Earthstar or Star of the Land.
This genus of fungi is very interesting and belongs to (quote) “a bizarre group of mushrooms that show just how weird fungi and the natural world can be. These mushrooms belong to the puffball family and have a distinctive two-layered star-shaped fruiting body that looks more than a bit alien.” Fungi of this group live on decomposing organic material, and help to break down forest debris to make nutrients more accessible to other plants and animals.
The outer layer of tissue splits open in to several pointed, triangular segments which spread outwards and downwards, forming a star-like pattern to reveal the inner spore sac. The star-like rays lift the spore sac above the ground and allow for better spore dispersal by wind or rain splash.
My last encounter with Earthstars was on sand dunes at the eastern tip of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine a couple of years ago. There are some 120 species in all.
What a serendipitous find.
My first and only encounter with earthstars was in Yellowstone NP. They were growing by the Porcelain Pool, under nearby pine trees. I was thrilled
That's a great find! As you say, earthstars look a bit alien. We have a couple of species in Scotland, Isee them quite frequently.