Geastrum minimum

Geastrum minimum or tiny earthstar is an inedible species of mushroom belonging to the genus Geastrum. Although rare, it is widespread in Europe, where it occurs in a range of habitats.[3] It is a priority species in the UK, where it has been found in the sand dunes at Holkham National Nature Reserve.[4][5]

Geastrum minimum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Fungi
Division:
Basidiomycota
Class:
Agaricomycetes
Order:
Geastrales
Family:
Geastraceae
Genus:
Geastrum
Species:
G. minimum
Binomial name
Geastrum minimum
Synonyms[2]

Geastrum cesatii Rabenh. (1851)

The species was first described by Lewis David de Schweinitz in 1822.[2]

Description

Fruit bodies are initially roughly spherical before the outer peridium splits to form a star with 6–11 "rays". When opened, the diameter of the fruit body is 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in). The inner spore sac is spherical or egg-shaped, and measures 0.5–1 cm (0.2–0.4 in). The more-or-less round spores measure 5–5.5–4–4.5 μm and have warts on their surface.[6]

References
  1. von Schweinitz; Lewis David (1822). "Synopsis fungorum Carolinae superioris". Schriften der naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Leipzig (in German). 1: 20–131 (see p. 58).
  2. "Geastrum minimum Schwein. 1822". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  3. Laessoe, T; Pegler, D N; Spooner, B (1995). British Puffballs, Earthstars and Stinkhorns: An Account of the British Gasteroid Fungi. Kew, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens. p. 100. ISBN 0-947643-81-8.
  4. Telfer, Mark G; Lambdon, Philip W; Gurney, Mark (2000). "Recent discoveries among the gasteroid fungi of Norfolk". Field Mycology. 1 (1): 30–32. doi:10.1016/S1468-1641(10)60011-4.
  5. "UK Priority Species data collation Geastrum minimum" (PDF). JNCC. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  6. Ellis, J B; Ellis, M B (1990). Fungi without Gills (Hymenomycetes and Gasteromycetes): An Identification Handbook. London, UK: Chapman and Hall. p. 229. ISBN 0-412-36970-2.


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