Geastrum sp. (Geastrum sp.)
The species of Geastrum are known colloquially as earthstars. Each mature fruitbody consists of a puffball-like spore sac atop a star-like base. Some species are easy to identify visually, others are not.
Before you started looking at microscopic details, some of the questions you'd ask when trying to identify a Geastrum are:
- Does the spore sac sit directly on the base or is it held up by a stem (and if so, what is its size)?
- Are the arms of the base hygroscopic (in other words, do they fold inwards in dry conditions and open out in moist conditions)?
- Does soil/debris adhere tightly to the undersides of the basal arms or are they free of soil/debris (or at least where any soil/debris is easily removed by light brushing)?
- What is the nature of the apical mouth, through which the spores puff out? Two examples are a (1) conical, strongly pleated mouth (as shown here: http://www.cpbr.gov.au/fungi/images-captions/geastrum-sp-ostiole-0144.html) and (2) a fibrillose mouth (http://www.cpbr.gov.au/fungi/images-captions/geastrum-sp-ostiole-0143.html).
You'd also note colour, texture and size.
Geastrum sp. is listed in the following regions:
Canberra & Southern Tablelands | Southern Highlands | South Coast | Central West NSW | Loddon Mallee
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Species information
- Geastrum sp. Scientific name
- Geastrum sp. Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 976.1m Recorded at altitude
- Machine learning
Location information
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Maps
ANBG Bicentennial Park Black Mountain Bodalla State Forest Boro Broulee Moruya Nature Observation Area Bruce Ridge Bullen Range Bundanoon Conimbla National Park Cooma North Ridge Reserve Fadden Hills Pond Federal Golf Course Ginninderry Conservation Corridor Goulburn Mulwaree Council Hall Horse Paddocks Hughes Garran Woodland Hughes Grassy Woodland Isaacs Ridge Isaacs Ridge and Nearby Lake Ginninderra Lower Cotter Catchment Mcleods Creek Res (Gundaroo) Molonglo Gorge Molonglo River Reserve Morton National Park Mount Ainslie Mount Majura Mulligans Flat Namadgi National Park National Arboretum Forests Penrose Pine Island to Point Hut Red Hill Nature Reserve Red Hill to Yarralumla Creek South East Forest National Park Sutton Forest Suttons Dam The Pinnacle Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve Uriarra Recreation Reserve Wanniassa Hill Wingecarribee Local Government Area Wright Park and Old Sydney Road Reserve -
Survey points
GG04 GG26 GG38 GG44 GG46 Point 5438 -
Places
Bodalla, NSW Cowra, NSW Dalmeny, NSW Fentons Creek, VIC Mystery Bay, NSW Quaama, NSW Queanbeyan West, NSW Sutton Forest, NSW Yarralumla, ACT
