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The black-headed starfish is a bright, inedible specimen from the Geaster family. It grows in deciduous forests, in regions with a warm climate. The species is rare, so when you find it, it is better not to pluck it, but to pass by.
What does a black-headed starfish look like
The black-headed starfish has an original, unusual fruiting body. A pear-shaped or spherical mushroom of small size ends with a pointed whitish or brown nose. In a young specimen, the inner shell fits snugly against the outer. As it matures, a rupture occurs, and the fungus breaks up into 4-7 lobes, exposing the internal spore-containing substance (gleba).
Dark coffee pulp is dense, becoming fibrous and loose as it matures. At full maturity, the gleba ruptures and coffee or light olive spores are dispersed through the air, thus forming new myceliums.
When ripe, the mushroom takes the form of a star
Where and how to grow
The black-headed starfish is a rare species that grows in regions with a comfortable climate. It can be found in the highlands of the Caucasus, in the deciduous forests of South and Central Our Country, in parks and squares of the Moscow region. Fruiting occurs from August to the end of September.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The black-headed starfish is not used in cooking. But thanks to its beautiful, bright shape, it is suitable for a photo shoot. The mushroom has no nutritional value, it belongs to the category of inedible species, but has found wide application in traditional medicine:
- young species, cut into thin strips, are used instead of a plaster, hemostatic material, for the rapid healing of wounds;
- curative tinctures are prepared from ripened spores.
Twins and their differences
The species, like every fruiting body, has similar counterparts:
- Small star – develops underground, as it grows, it appears on the surface and breaks in the shape of a star. The species is distributed in open areas, it can be found in the steppes, meadows, within the city. It prefers to grow in fertile, calcareous soil in small groups or forming a witch’s circle. In cooking, they are not used due to the lack of taste and smell.
An unusual species grows on a coniferous substrate
- Сvodka – conditionally edible copy. The fruiting body develops in the bowels of the earth, as it matures, it appears on the surface and breaks in the form of a star. The surface is painted brown, the spore-bearing ball is flattened, fawn in color.
Only young specimens are eaten.
- Star of Schmidel – a small mushroom. It originates underground, during the ripening period it appears above the deciduous substrate, cracks, exposing the inner spore-bearing layer. Fruiting occurs in autumn, only young specimens are used for food.
A rare species, young mushrooms can be eaten
Conclusion
The black-headed starfish is an inedible representative of the mushroom kingdom. It is rare, prefers to grow in autumn, among deciduous trees. Due to the original shape, even a novice mushroom picker can recognize it.