A small earthstar of dry, sandy, open ground whose 5-10 brown rays curl up over the spore sac in dry weather and open flat again when moist. This hygroscopic behavior is the main field mark, since most earthstars stay fixed once open. It is easily overlooked because, when closed and dry, it resembles a small seed pod.
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Habitat
Solitary or scattered in dry, open, sandy soils, under conifers or broadleaf trees or in the open. In California it fruits after fall rains and persists year-round in a dry state.
Distribution
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Fairly common in central and southern mainland Europe; very rare in Britain and Ireland. In North America known from California (mainly coastal) and other parts of the continent; California Fungi describes its distribution as poorly known.
Characteristics
Fruitbody: 10-20 mm and roughly round before opening; 1.5-3.5 (4) cm across when expanded. Rays: 5-10, shades of brown, hygroscopic (closing over the sac when dry, opening when wet). Spore sac: stalkless, 6-15 mm, gray-brown when young, fading to almost white; opening slightly raised with an indistinct, fibrous-edged peristome. Spore mass: brown. Spores: globose, warted, 5-7 um (First Nature; California Fungi).
