These strange looking things are Earth Stars – they are the fruiting body of a type of mushroom. You can clearly see why they have gained their common name.
When they first appear they look like puff-balls, but then the outer “skin” splits and folds back to make the star shape. The central mass contains the spores, and these escape through the central hole as the wind blows – or more dramatically when rain drops crash into it.
So, all in all they are a little more interesting than the mushrooms we slice and put on pizza!
You can find more macro shots here at Macro Monday.
Enjoy the close ups!
Vivo no campo e nunca vi este tipo de cogumelos.
ReplyDeleteIrei estar atento e ver se os descubro por aí.
I've never seen anything like these fungi before. Are they edible or do you need to give them a wide berth?
ReplyDeleteOh, wow, that's cool! I never would have guessed those were mushrooms.
ReplyDeleteWhat interesting captures for the day, Stewart! I've never seen anything like these either! Great macros for the day!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Wow Stewart, these are amazing, i haven't seen it. They look like the flower of one of our plants, Amorphophallus sp, that emits very bad odor for pollination. Another plant which looks like this is Rafflesia, known to be the biggest flower. We have it but i haven't seen it too. By the way, can this mushroom be eaten too?
ReplyDeleteI had never seen these before moving to our current property. They grow in the woods here. Yours look like they are growing in the gravel/sand? Looks like a very different environment. Here is a link to two photos of what we have. http://dandelionhaven.blogspot.com/2010/09/earth-star.html
ReplyDeleteLovely captures! :)
ReplyDeleteOrange Zinnia
(and I do intend to check out your other blog soon!)
ReplyDeleteI've not seen these before, very interesting. you must have been tempted to turn a hose onto them to watch the spores blow out.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting and special photos! Great capture!
ReplyDeleteI love macro photography.
ReplyDeleteI love shooting mushrooms.
Yours is a great find.
Cool, I've never seen these! Great detail in your pics, I like the gravel bits!
ReplyDeleteI have seen many 'shrooms, but never an earth star....nice capture
ReplyDeleteI have seen many 'shrooms, but never an earth star....nice capture
ReplyDeleteWow! I've never seen nor heard of these things. Very interesting! Nice photos, they really do like "earth" stars!
ReplyDeleteInteresting mushrooms. Beautiful shape!
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