Collared Earthstar

I found several Collared Earthstars under some Hawthorns today.

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The ball is slightly larger than a two pound coin.
 
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xylaria

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Good find. Earthstars are quite rare in britian, I found one once, 15 years ago!. It is december not august to october. Bye Bye predictable seasonal fungi :sadwavey: Bye Bye using season as a relable criterea for ID :sadwavey:
ByeBye gulf steam, polar ice caps....
 

Dougster

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 13, 2005
5,254
238
The banks of the Deveron.
xylaria said:
Good find. Earthstars are quite rare in britian, I found one once, 15 years ago!. It is december not august to october. Bye Bye predictable seasonal fungi :sadwavey: Bye Bye using season as a relable criterea for ID :sadwavey:
ByeBye gulf steam, polar ice caps....

Snow in winter, only two breeding cyles for midges etc etc, bye all.

Sorry off thread, but these photos hihglight an enormous problem that only stays in newspapers three days? And then when they say how it will affect our economy! :sigh:
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,891
2,143
Mercia
Neither the fungus nor the photos are as good as those in this thread, but I wanted to thank you Fenlander - I knew what it was when I spotted a couple today amongst dozens of cramp balls on some fallen ash oddly

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Red
 
British Red said:
Neither the fungus nor the photos are as good as those in this thread, but I wanted to thank you Fenlander - I knew what it was when I spotted a couple today amongst dozens of cramp balls on some fallen ash oddly

357191753_0d22ebffe1.jpg


Red

Doesn't look quite right for Collared Earthstar mate :confused: Why not mail your picture to Jonny at http://www.fenfungi.com/
and see what he thinks ;)
 

bushwacker bob

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 22, 2003
3,824
17
STRANGEUS PLACEUS
If you live in East Anglia, keep your eyes peeled for the pepper pot fungus,It is similar to the earthstar, but has multiple holes on the top.It was thought to be extinct 120 years ago...Until someone found one last year!
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,891
2,143
Mercia
Saw that on the museum programme the other day!

Got a nice reply for Jonny whilst I was pond hopping....

Thanks for sending the picture and I’m fairly happy that it is a Collared Earthstar (Geastrum triplex). It is well eaten but the size and general shape look good plus this species has a faint halo around the base of the “mouth” on the spore sac. The only alternative would be a Rosy Earthstar (Geastrum rufescens) as your species does have some light buff/pinky tones but without checking out the spores it’s difficult to say. However all earthstars are good to find!


What a fantastic fellah - thanks for the link to his site Kevin!

Red
 
British Red said:
Saw that on the museum programme the other day!

Got a nice reply for Jonny whilst I was pond hopping....

Thanks for sending the picture and I’m fairly happy that it is a Collared Earthstar (Geastrum triplex). It is well eaten but the size and general shape look good plus this species has a faint halo around the base of the “mouth” on the spore sac. The only alternative would be a Rosy Earthstar (Geastrum rufescens) as your species does have some light buff/pinky tones but without checking out the spores it’s difficult to say. However all earthstars are good to find!


What a fantastic fellah - thanks for the link to his site Kevin!

Red

Glad to be of help my friend :D
 

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