Hygroscopic Earthstar

Astraeus hygrometricus

Summary 2

Astraeus hygrometricus, commonly known as the hygroscopic earthstar, the barometer earthstar, or the false earthstar, is a species of fungus in the Diplocystaceae family. Young specimens resemble a puffball when young and unopened. In maturity, the mushroom displays the characteristic earthstar shape that is a result of the outer layer of fruit body tissue splitting open in a star-like manner. The false earthstar is an ectomycorrhizal species that grows in association with various trees, especially in...

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) António Pena, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/8358282@N02/518090862
  2. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astraeus_hygrometricus

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