Collared Earthstar Geastrum triplex
e6filmuser
Registered Users Posts: 3,379 Major grins
These fungi are more related to Puff balls than to typical mushrooms, instead of gills to hold their spores they have sacs. The pore at the top opens up and raindrops landing on the bag cause the spores to puff out.
The Earthstars have these starfish like arms which unfold and arch downwards to lever the spore-containing sac upwards to ensure a wider distribution of the spores.
Two species of earthstar are known to occur at this woodland locality but only one was present yesterday. These were about the size of the palm of my hand.
There is a cross-eye stereo.
The last image shows some buds of more earthstars, to expand and mature. I don’t know quite what the apparent remnants are.
EM-1, Kiron 105mm, single flash, hand-held.
Harold
The Earthstars have these starfish like arms which unfold and arch downwards to lever the spore-containing sac upwards to ensure a wider distribution of the spores.
Two species of earthstar are known to occur at this woodland locality but only one was present yesterday. These were about the size of the palm of my hand.
There is a cross-eye stereo.
The last image shows some buds of more earthstars, to expand and mature. I don’t know quite what the apparent remnants are.
EM-1, Kiron 105mm, single flash, hand-held.
Harold
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My Smugmug gallery
Thanks, Ian.
Not a thing of beauty, unless you consider function.
Harold