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Project Noah Nature School
Geastrum triplex
This small but wonderfully made puffball fungus starts as a round ball like structure (image 2) anywhere from 15 - 80mm diameter. The outer layer splits and folds back into 5-8 segments. The smaller inner ball is exposed (5-50mm diameter). It is light and papery and spores are expelled from a small hole at the top of it when rain droplets hit it. The spore print is dark brown.
These found on bare ground under forest canopy near lake Karapiro, in the North Island of New Zealand.
The scientific name for this species is derived from the outer wall of its body being made up of 3 layers of tissue. In this species the outer walls curl back so far that they help lift the central fruiting body slightly to aid in spore dispersal.
Spotted on Jun 7, 2017
Submitted on Jun 12, 2017
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