Myriostoma coliforme    (Dicks.:Pers.) Corda 

common name(s) : Pepper Pot 

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

synonyms: Myriostoma coliformis, Geastrum coliformis 

edibility : inedible

potential confusions with  Myriostoma coliforme toxicity of Myriostoma coliforme genus Myriostoma  

The fruiting body is star-shaped with 5-12 rays, covered with a brown layer cracking and flaking off to reveal a pale buff layer, with a central spore sac but with several stalks, with pale buff to ochre-brown rays, with multiple, short stems.

The fertile surface is internal: the spores are released as dust when mature.

It grows on the ground, in broad-leaved woods, on sandy soil in warm areas.

The fruiting period takes place from September to December.
Dimensions: width of fruiting body approximately 8 cm (between 2 and 20 cm)
  total height approximately 3.5 cm (between 1.5 and 5 cm)


Myriostoma coliforme is still unreported so far in the forest of Rambouillet, and is very rare, more generally speaking .



page updated on 14/01/18