Twinkle twinkle little star

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Astraeus star mushrooms bw 2.jpg

A little star shaped mushrooms I accidently found in a place where I would least expect to find one.
Close to the ocean on extended dunes where pines and some low shrubs grow. The soil is very sandy and very dry in the summer.

But in winter, when it is cooler and humid with regular rains, those little guys pop. Astraeus (I think that's what they are called) are not very big, just a few cm across. But the shape is just amazing! the middle is round like a little pillow. Filled with spores that get released when it breaks.

Astraeus star mushrooms bw 1.jpg

Is this one mocking smiling at me? :)

Astraeus star mushrooms bw 3.jpg

Astraeus star mushrooms bw 4.jpg

The outside part looks like wood. I am not sure if all mushrooms of this type have this cool ability, or just some. But the those parts close when it is very dry and open when it gets wet.

There was about 8-10 of them around looking like stars sitting between the green leaves. Very cool!

Astraeus star mushrooms bw 5.jpg


My contribution to #FungiFriday by @ewkaw

I hope many of you will join as there are only 2 simple rules:

  • when Friday comes post your own, original photo/drawing/art/food/anything-at-all of any type of fungi (yes, I will check and report stolen images!)
  • add #FungiFriday tag (it doesn't have to be your first tag)
    That's all :)

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Shot with Nikon D5500 + Sigma 105mm lens
All photos and text are my own.

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17 comments
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pixresteemer_incognito_angel_mini.png
Bang, I did it again... I just rehived your post!
Week 64 of my contest just started...you can now check the winners of the previous week!
!BEER
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beautiful. sadly they dont grow at our place (they prefer southern europe areas). feeling envy!

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feeling envy!

You shouldn't. You have much better climate for fungi and longer season.

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haha, plausible. and perhaps having this hot weather most of the time would be crazy and mind-melting. this few weeks of +28 +32 were mindblowing and very exausting - I almost stopped posting... (and doing my job in the office, as well! basically, I am doing nothing! haha.. partly its due to this heat)

but still. I have a little (good) envy fraction that could not be evaporated permanently :)))))

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ppps. you may look at it like this: we have a better climate for fungi and drinking vodka, and you have a better climate for swimming, cycling and drinking red wine. which option is better?
:P

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(Edited)

Fungi and vodka (and wine)!
Definitely :D

Cycling in 35+ and burning hot sun is not nice at all.

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I wait till 10 AM, and do cycling in the evening. just made two little rounds across the park 15 mins ago.

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Now you are just teasing me.... :(

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aha! ;) revenge, revenge!

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Hahaha why?
What did I do? :D

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nothing too bad, dont feel sorrow!

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ps. as for the names -- hygroscopic earthstar mushrooms (Astraeus hygrometricus)

cheers! and happy #fungifriday, as always.

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Yup! That's the one :)
Thanks!

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