Sometimes we come across species that we are unfamiliar with. This has been the case of fungi, or more precise Earth-stars.
Earth-stars are fairly rare, to overlooked. They belong to the same group as the more familar puffballs. So far at the Trust our vigilance has produced two such fungi when we thought we only had one. This was the result of traveling north to Morpeth where an expert on Earth-stars was able to walk us through the finer details of these delicate and diverse subject.
Left to right above... Geastrum pectinatum, G. brittanicum, G. triplex.
The varieties we have found at the Trust is the Beaked Earth-star (G. pectinatum) of which there are only 118 recorded records nationally.
The second species is Geastrum striatum, 278 records, similar to the above but with an apophyse or plica , or in laymans terms 'skirt'under the balloon, see below...
Thanks to Sally Pattison for invaluable help.
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