Geastrales

Geastrales is an order of gasterocarpic basidiomycetes (fungi) that are related to Gomphales. The order contains the families Geastraceae, which includes the "earthstars" formerly placed in Lycoperdales or Phallales, and also Schenellaceae, Sclerogastraceae and Sphaerobolaceae. About 160 species are classified in this order, divided among seven or eight genera, including Geastrum, Myriostoma and Sphaerobolus. Sphaerobolus species are known as "shotgun fungus" or "cannonball fungus". They colonize wood-based mulches and may throw black, sticky, spore-containing globs onto nearby surfaces. In Geastrum, once mature, the exoperidium splits into a variable number of rays, which give them their visible star shape. The exoperidial rays are there to protect the endoperidial body and orchestrate spore dispersal. The fruiting bodies of several earthstars are hygrometric: in dry weather the rays will dry and curl up around the soft spore sac, protecting it. In this state, often the whole fungus......read more on Wikipedia.