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Project Noah Nature School
The most prevalent earthstar is Geastrum saccatum. It fruits under hardwoods from spring through fall. Young fruiting bodies buried under leaf litter resemble small, pointed puffballs as seen in this picture. While the spores may be dispersed, the rays are persistent and can be found after the mushroom is well aged.
Identifying characteristics are the rays that curl back in a starlike manner, and the sunken inner spore case with an apical pore that is delimited by a circular groove.
Spotted on Jul 29, 2011
Submitted on Jan 23, 2012
