Starfish small (Geastrum minimum)
- Division: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Phallomycetidae (Velkovye)
- Order: Geastrales (Geastral)
- Family: Geastraceae (Geastraceae or Stars)
- Genus: Geastrum (Geastrum or Zvezdovik)
- Type: Geastrum minimum (Small Starlight)
The fruit body develops underground, initially spherical, 0,3-1,8 cm in diameter, the outer shell opens into 6-12 (usually 8) rays, reaching 1,5-3 (5) cm in width, first horizontally, then several lifting the fruiting body, the gap between it and the soil is usually filled with mycelium. The surface of the rays is gray-beige, cracking over time and exposing a lighter inner layer. At the top is a hole with a cone-shaped proboscis.
Mature gleba is brown, powdery.
Spores are spherical, brown, warty, 5,5-6,5 microns
It grows on calcareous soils along the edges of forests, forest clearings, as well as in the steppes.
inedible mushroom
It differs from other species in its small size, crystalline coating of the endoperidium, and smooth periostome.