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Earth star with lid

Earth star with lid

Earth star fungus, probably Geastrum coronatum, with what appears to be a lid or protective cover detaching itself from the sporocarp, the spherical structure containing the spore-creating gleba.

I’ve never seen anything like it before, nor any reference to anything similar in my collection of Field Guilds or online – possibly because I haven’t looked hard enough.

Earth star with lid

Seen again five days later. The “lid” was raised higher, but still not separated from the rest.