Star-Earthball

Description:

Two light olive to brown colored, rounded to irregular fruit bodies attached to one another. They both have a cracked outer surface, and each fruit body is around the size of a fist. They are approaching maturity as one fruit bodies has begun to open its peridium, revealing a spongy dark brown to olive inner gleba (spore body) which will eventually powderize and disperse. The peeled back peridium forms a star-like shape. Scleroderma polyrhizum is a widely distributed fungus in North America and is often found growing in groups in grass or disturbed habitats.

Habitat:

They were found at the top of ridge near pine/mixed hardwood forest in Northeast Alabama (Cherokee County). They were growing in a compost pile (with a lot of campfire ash), pine needles, etc.