Geastrum schmidelii    Vittad. 

common name(s) : Dwarf Earthstar 

New classification: Basidiomycota/Agaricomycotina/Agaricomycetes/Phallomycetidae/Geastrales/Geastraceae  
Former classification: Basidiomycota/Homobasidiomycetes/Gasteromycetideae/Lycoperdales/Gaestraceae  

synonyms: Geastrum nanum 
(unconfirmed synonyms: Geaster nanus, Geastrum schmidelli)  

edibility : inedible

potential confusions with Geastrum schmidelii toxicity of Geastrum schmidelii genus Geastrum  

The fruiting body is star-shaped with 5-9 pointed rays, with earth stuck underneath, covered with a layer cracking and flaking off, and at its centre, a spore sac placed on top of a stalk, brown to grey, with a very short stem.

The fertile surface is internal: the spores are released as dust when mature. The spore print is dark brown.

It grows on the ground, on the sandy ground of dunes, close to shores.

The fruiting period takes place from October to December.
Dimensions: width of fruiting body approximately 3 cm (between 2 and 5 cm)
  total height approximately 2 cm (between 1 and 3 cm)

Distinctive features : sorry, no English description yet

Geastrum schmidelii is still unreported so far in the forest of Rambouillet, and is quite rare, more generally speaking .



page updated on 14/01/18