Geastrum rufescens
Description
Geastrum rufescens is a species of fungus in the family Geastraceae. It was first described scientifically by Christian Hendrik Persoon in 1801. It has a pale pinkish-buff to pinkish exoperidium and rays.
The earthstar is found in Europe, North America (including Mexico), and Japan, where it typically grows at the base of old oak stumps.
Common names: Rosy Earthstar, Reddish Earthstar.
Mushroom Identification
Ecology
Saprobic; growing alone or gregariously under hardwoods or conifers; usually appearing in fall, winter, and spring; widely distributed in North America.
Fruiting Body
At first around to the egg-shaped ball, partially submerged in the substrate, covered with mycelium that picks up dirt and debris; with maturity the outer skin peeling back to form 6–8 pink to pinkish-tan, radiating, pointed arms stretching 4.5–7 cm across, composed of fairly tough flesh 2–5 mm thick; undersides of arms covered with whitish material that picks up debris, becomes cracked, and often sloughs off in chunks; spore case 1.5–2.5 cm across, more or less round, sitting on a very short, stem-like base; spore case skin brownish, bald, and papery; developing a perforation or "mouth" that is irregular (i. e., the mouth is roundish or poorly defined, not puckered, without grooves, and without a surrounding depression or pale zone); the interior of spore case initially solid and white but soon powdery and brown.
Microscopic Features
Spores 3–5 µm including ornamentation of low, dense spines up to 0.5 µm long; globose; brownish to brown in KOH. Capillitial threads 2–6 µm wide; aseptate; walls smooth or a little rough, 1–2 µm thick; dark olive to brown in KOH.
Synonyms
Geastrum schaefferi Vittad. (1842)
Geastrum vulgatum Vittad. (1842)
Geastrum readeri Cooke & Massee (1888()
Geastrum rufescens var. readeri (Cooke & Massee) Cleland & Cheel (1915)
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Holger Krisp (CC BY 3.0)
Photo 2 - Author: Holger Krisp (CC BY 3.0)
Photo 3 - Author: JovanaKoturov (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo 4 - Author: Jerzy Opioła (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo 5 - Author: walt sturgeon (Mycowalt) (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Shape: Earthstars