Starfish - description of where it grows, poisonous mushroom

Mushroom starfish is a typical representative of the mushroom kingdom, belonging to a fairly large family of starfish. Note that this species belongs to the group of conditionally edible eukaryotes, which are widely used both in cooking and in traditional medicine.

Appearance Features

Such a mushroom as a starfish, in addition to its main name, is also known as a geastrum or earth star. The fruit body grows below the surface of the earth, forming a kind of bag. In the process of growth, the mushroom cap comes out, making its way out, while its surface bursts, due to which wrapping ends are formed. That is, the ripened mushroom with its external characteristics strongly resembles a star with several spongy rays framing the central part.

The inside of the star-like geastrum hides underneath a spore-bearing body that has a characteristic geometric shape (often oval or spherical). The top of the part of the fungus in which the spores mature, has the finest protective coating and is bordered by protrusions covered with small cilia. In this form, the fruit portion remains until it ripens. Over time, the rays darken. Often fall away.

The appearance of earthen stars directly depends on the subspecies. On average, the size of the hat does not exceed 40 mm in diameter, the size of the opened star-shaped part ranges from 30 to 150 mm, the spherical body of the spore-bearing part reaches a height of 13-15 mm, and a width of no more than 10-12 mm.

At the beginning of development, eukaryth, as a rule, has a light color in all its parts (the color varies from finely white to saturated red or brownish). With the growth of the fungus, the color of the fruiting body darkens. The spores of the star are brown or fawn.

Inedible species

The star family is basically an inedible species of fungi, at the same time they are not poisonous. Often, representatives of this family are used in traditional medicine.

1. A triple earthen star is a mushroom, slightly different from related species, which is characterized by a double layer of the outer shell. When ripening, the surface bursts into pieces, forming an unequal number of rays, and the inner one turns into a kind of rim framing the spore-bearing body, thus forming a bowl. The color of the mushroom body is from light beige to brownish.
2. Striped starfish - as well as the view described above, has characteristic differences. The mycelium of this type of mushroom is located not like most representatives of this family - below the surface of the earth, but above it. As the specimens mature, the fruiting body forms long rays with a creamy color, which gives the mushroom a star shape. Over time, these rays crack and darken significantly. The elongated spore-bearing body of small sizes is located on a small and quite powerful leg. It features a characteristic gray color with a light coating. The central part is divided by stripes.
3. A fringed starfish is a mushroom whose fruiting body is partially hidden underground. The outer shell of a brownish tint, as a rule, bursts into 6-7 parts bent to the bottom. The ball with the spores is gray, there is a weakly defined bowl (patio) bordering it.
4. Crowned starfish - a mushroom with gray rays that have a matte shade. The spore-bearing part is located on a thin and fairly short leg. The central part itself is darker than the star-like.
5. Small starfish - the smallest geastrum in size.The parts of the outer shell are usually divided into a fairly large number of parts (up to 12). The color of the rays is light beige, cracking over time, exposing the lighter interior. The spore-bearing body is gray, with maturation it darkens, at the top - an elongated proboscis.
6. Black-headed geastrum is a subspecies of the family that has significant differences. At the beginning of growth, the body of the fungus resembles such a species as a raincoat, which has a characteristic light color of the fruit body; as it grows, the shell is divided into parts (up to 8), opening the body of the spore-bearing ball. Note that the interior of the rays is covered by dark mature spores, which are carried by the wind in bad weather.
7. Four-beam earthen star - this species also, like many of its relatives, during the ripening period raises the fruiting body above the soil surface. The color of the fruiting body is gray-white, spore-bearing - gray.

Edible species

As a rule, edible species of representatives of the star family are used for culinary purposes exclusively in the form of an exotic additive (only young specimens are used for cooking), this is mainly due to their paucity and, accordingly, low popularity among lovers of quiet hunting.

1. A vaulted starfish is a mushroom having a flattened spherical fruit body located below the surface of the soil. The color of the fungus is more brown, the spore-bearing body is oblate, dull with a characteristic fawn shade.
2. The Schmiedel star is a feature of the species in that the fruit portion of this species of edible mushrooms is quite modest in size. During the ripening period, as with most related species, it rises. The spore-bearing ball rests on a low leg with ciliary bordering at the apex. The color of the fungus is brown, with growth it darkens significantly.

Where the star grows

In our country, such a wild mushroom as a starfish is an extremely rare representative of the mushroom kingdom. Most often, it grows in regions with a mild warm climate (Caucasus, many European countries).

The most attractive for starfish are mixed and coniferous forests. Often these fungi are found growing on the shores of water bodies. Star-shaped mushrooms grow in fairly large groups, forming characteristic "witches" rings. The fruiting season is from mid-August to early October.

Video: Star (Geastrum)