Get to Know the Target Fungus of Our New Project (FunDive): Geastrum – the Earthstar
✔️Geastrum is a widely distributed genus of fungi (with about 120 known species worldwide), and over five of these species have also been recorded in Armenia.
📖The genus name derives from the Greek words geo (earth) and aster (star). When mature, the outer layer of the fruiting body splits into segments that fold outward, creating a star-like pattern on the ground and revealing a spherical inner spore sac. This sac contains a mass of spores and mycelial tissue that is white and firm when young but becomes brown and powdery upon maturation. At the top of the sac is a pointed beak-like structure called the peristome, which has a small opening through which the spores are released.
🌳These fungi primarily grow in temperate broadleaf and mixed forests with rich humus layers.
❗Most Geastrum species are not poisonous but are considered inedible, as their fruiting bodies are typically encountered at maturity.
⚗️They contain various bioactive compounds, fungal sterols, and different fatty acids. Some species have been used in traditional medicine in both North America and China. Native American peoples referred to them as ka-ka-toos, meaning “fallen stars,” believed to be signs of supernatural events. In Chinese traditional medicine, Geastrum has been used to reduce respiratory inflammation, stop bleeding, and alleviate swelling.
👀If you come across this fungus, take a photo, record the specimen in the PlutoF GO mobile app, and submit it to our scientific team. Your sample will be processed in our database, and species identification will be conducted. You can follow the results of your fungal submission on the FunDive website!