Geastrum coronatum    Pers. 

common name(s) : Crowned Earthstar 

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

synonyms: Geastrum limbatum 
(unconfirmed synonyms: Geaster coronatus, Geaster limbatus)  

edibility : inedible

potential confusions with Geastrum coronatum toxicity of Geastrum coronatum genus Geastrum  

The fruiting body is star-shaped with 5-10 pointed rays, incurved downwards to form a crown, and at its centre, a steel-grey spore sac placed on top of a thick and short stalk, and ringed bulge near the base, dark grey to grey-brown, the spore sac being steel grey, with a very short and thick stem.

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

It grows on the ground, in broad-leaved and coniferous woods, on a rather calcareous soil.

The fruiting period takes place from September to December.
Dimensions: width of fruiting body approximately 7 cm (between 4 and 10 cm)
  total height approximately 2 cm (between 1 and 2.5 cm)

Distinctive features : sorry, no English description yet

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



page updated on 14/01/18