Macroscopic Key to Earthstars for Nature Guides

Online one can find numerous macroscopic keys to Earthstar look alikes. This table only differs from the others in the approach: primary question in here is: is there scar or encrusted debris ? Because to be able to see if there is a scar, at the same time you will find out if there is encrusted debris, and if the earthstar is firmly attached to the ground, and you will be able to make a picture from the bottom side as well (very important).

Restriction for usage:

  • This is a common license macroscopic key; you can use it under reference to the source,

  • Openings en mouth-zones often become clear while the fruit-body is maturing,

  • Plica and furrows are developing during maturation and drying,

  • Scars are visible in a fresh phase if there are. Stems (stipes) often need drying before you can see them.

  • Weathered Earthstar (Geastrum corollinum) and Flowering Earthstar (Geastrum floriforme) often can not be compared by scar.

  • For the glossary of concepts being used in this key, visit Anatomy of Geastrum species

Macroscopic Key to Earthstar ands lookalikes

Verse (came from) Verse Value Features Name (species page) Goto
1a Fruit-body balloon has two or more round openings or litte rings (visible futural openings) Fruit-body balloon (at maturation) gets two or more round openings, has a broad ribbed or is composed of multple stems, has a scar. Pepper Pot
(Myriostoma coliforme [With.: Pers.] Corda) 		 
1b Fruit-body balloon has only one single opening, with or without mouth-zone Fruit-body balloon (at maturation) gets only one single opening.   2
2a Fruit-body balloon woolly without mouth-zone, or baldy with fissures Fruit-body balloon is young woolly - fibrous, without mouth-zone. Balloon gets one or more fissures at maturation. Slips (rays) are felty. No scar. Barometer Earthstar
(Astraeus hygrometricus [Pers.] Morgan) 		 
2b There is a mouth-zone (or it is in ist beginning)     3
3a Fruit-body star-rays with scar Fruit-body has or gets a single mouth-zone   4
3b Fruit-body star-rays without scar Fruit-body has or gets a single mouth-zone   8
         
4a (3a) Fruit-body star-rays bottom with (grey-white) felty layer Fruit-body star-rays bottom with scar Felty Earthstar
(Geastrum saccatum Fries)		  
4b Fruit-body star-rays bottom without (grey-white or different colored) felty layer Fruit-body star-rays bottom with scar   5
5a Fruit-body balloon with stem Fruit-body star-rays bottom with scar. Garden Earthstar
(Geastrum smardae Stanek)		  
5b Fruit-body balloon without stem. Fruit-body star-rays bottom with scar.   6
6a Fruit-body star-rays very hygroscopic Fruit-body star-rays bottom with scar, without stem. Weathered Earthstar
Crowned Earthstar
(Geastrum corollinum [Batsch] Hollós )		  
6b Fruit-body star-rays non-hygroscopic Fruit-body star-rays bottom with scar, without stem.   7
7a Fruit-body has remarkable narrow slips, with irregularly long tips, 5-10 slips, often saccate, star-rays 3-6 cm in diameter Fruit-body star-rays non-hygroscopic, with scar, without stem. Flask Earthstar
(Geastrum lageniforme Vittad.)		  
7b Fruit-body remarkable ponderous, short thick slips, 4-8 slips, rarely saccate, star-rays 3-15 cm in diameter Fruit-body star-rays non-hygroscopic, with scar, without stem. Collared Earthstar
(Geastrum triplex Jungh.)		  
         
8a (3b) On injuring (scratching) coloring red Fruit-body without scar Rosy Earthstar
(Geastrum rufescens Pers.: Pers.)		  
8b (11b) On injuring no color change Fruit-body without scar   9
9a Fruit-body without scar.   Flowering Earthstar
(Geastrum floriforme Vittad.)		  
9b Fruit-body star-rays non-hygroscopic or subhygroscopic Fruit-body without scar.   10
10a Fruit-body star-rays non-hygroscopic Fruit-body without scar.   13
10b Fruit-body star-rays subhygroscopic Fruit-body without scar.   11
11a Fruit-body with stem Fruit-body without scar, subhygroscopic   12
11b Fruit-body without stem Fruit-body without scar, subhygroscopic does not exists  
12a (11a) Fruit-body mouth-zone plicate-furrowy Fruit-body without scar, subhygroscopic, with stem. Field Earthstar
(Geastrum campestre Morgan) 		 
12b (11a) Fruit-body mouth-zone fibrillose Fruit-body without scar, subhygroscopic, with stem. (Robust) Curling Earthstar
(Geastrum pseudolimbatum Hollós)		  
         
13a (10a) Fruit-body with stem and with or without encrusted debris Fruit-body without scar, non-hygroscopic   15
13b (10b) Fruit-body with stem and always with encrusted debris Fruit-body without scar, non-hygroscopic   14
14a (13b) Fruit-body mouth-zone unlimited and plicate Fruit-body without scar, non-hygroscopic, with encrusted debris, balloon young light grey, covered with fine cristals, floury, balloon old baldy and brown Elegant Earthstar
(Geastrum elegans Vittad.)		  
14b (13b) Fruit-body balloon mouth-zone fibrillose Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, without stem Sessile Earthstar
(Geastrum fimbriatum Fr.)		  
         
15a (13a) Fruit-body balloon mouth-zone fibrillose Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with stem and apophyse   16
15b (13a) Fruit-body balloon mouth-zone plicate and star-rays with encrusted debris Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with stem and apophyse   20
         
16a Fruit-body star-rays without encrusted debris Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone fibrillose Garden Earthstar
(Geastrum smardae Stanek)		  
16b Fruit-body star-rays with encrusted debris Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone fibrillose   17
17a Fruit-body stem is short and broad Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone fibrillose   18
17b Fruit-body stem is short, not broad Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone fibrillose Tiny Earthstar
(Geastrum minimum Schwein.)		  
18a Fruit-body stem is short and broad with a temporary meaty cylinder around the stem Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone fibrillose Arched Earthstar
(Geastrum fornicatum [Huds.] Hook.)		  
18b Fruit-body stem is short and broad without a temporary meaty cylinder around the stem Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone fibrillose   19
19a Fruit-body mouth-zone with clear ringfurrow Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone fibrillose apophyse is a rounded bag-shape, balloon young light grey, balloon older light to dark, greybrown or pale brown, balloon 5-15 mm in diameter, short broad stem, stem without a temporary meaty cylinder, stem-color lighter than from balloon, slips 4 (rarely 3-6), young saccate later fornicate Rayed Earthstar
(Geastrum quadrifidum Pers.:Pers.)		  
19b Fruit-body mouth-zone without or with vague ringfurrow Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone fibrillose. rounded bag-shape apophyse, short broad stem, stem without a temporary meaty cylinder, balloon young lightgrey or brownish (floury) balloon older darkgrey to blackish grey (baldy), stem-color same as balloon color Crowned Earthstar
(Geastrum coronatum Pers.)		  
         
20a (15b) Fruit-body with rounded bag-shape apophyse,     21
20b (15b) Fruit-body apophyse has a different shape     22
21a (20a) Fruit-body balloon with bald surface Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone plicate-furrowy, mouth-zone with sharp ring-furrow, rounded bag-shape apophyse, young balloon is floury, older balloon is bald, balloon often has a grey to brown color, balloon is 6-13 mm in diameter, star-rays is 18-40 mm in diameter, stem has a temporary meaty cylinder (the meaty cylinder dries out on maturation, becomes darkbrown and drops down aroud the stem). Dwarf Earthstar
(Geastrum schmidelii Vittad.)		  
21b (20a) Fruit-body balloon with rough surface Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone plicate-furrowy, mouth-zone with a sharp ring-furrow, rounded bag-shape apophyse, stem without a temporary meaty cylinder. Berkeley's Earthstar
(Geastrum berkeleyi Massee) 		 
22a (20b) Fruit-body apophyse funnel-shaped, radiate plicate Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone plicate-furrowy, sometimes with ring-furrow, young balloon is thickish floury, with delicate cristals, older balloon is bald, balloon 9-20 mm in diameter, star-rays 25-110 mm in diameter, stem has a temporary meaty cylinder (the meaty cylinder dries out on maturation, becomes darkbrown and drops down aroud the stem) Beaked Earthstar
(Geastrum pectinatum Pers.)		  
22b (20b) Fruit-body apophyse with sharp sleeve-shaped plica Fruit-body non-hygroscopic, without scar, with encrusted debris, with stem and apophyse, mouth-zone plicate-furrowy, sometimes with a clear ring-furrow, young balloon palebrown with a floury layer and with delicate cristals, older balloon darker with a little lighter delicate floury layer, stem has a temporary meaty cylinder (the meaty cylinder dries out on maturation, becomes darkbrown and drops down aroud the stem) Striate Earthstar
(Geastrum striatum DC.)		  


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