Geastrum triplex Jungh.
(Collared Earthstar)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesGeastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
GenusGeastrum (earthstars)
FamilyGEASTRACEAE (earthstars)
OrderGEASTRALES (earth-stars)
SubclassPHALLOMYCETIDAE (stinkhorns, stinkhorn truffles, and earth-stars, coral, tooth and club fungi)
ClassAGARICOMYCETES (a class of fungi)
SubphylumAGARICOMYCOTINA (a subphylum of fungi)
PhylumBASIDIOMYCOTA (spore droppers, basidiomycetes)
KingdomFUNGI (true fungi)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar) :
1: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
19 Dec 2014 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
in needle litter under Pine and Hazel
Image 1: Fruitbody - lateral viewImage 2: Fruitbody - lateral view (2)Image 3: Fruitbody - lateral view (3)Image 4: Fruitbody - lateral view - white backgroundImage 5: Fruitbody - lateral view - white background (2)Image 6: Fruitbody - oblique viewImage 7: Group of 5 fruitbodies in mid-January - oblique viewImage 8: Group of 5 fruitbodies in mid-January - top viewImage 9: Peristome - oblique view - close-up - enlargedImage 10: Peristome - top view - close-up - enlargedImage 11: Spores - magnifiedImage 12: Spores - magnified (2)Image 13: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 14: Spores - highly magnified (2)Image 15: Spores - highly magnified (3)Image 16: Spores - highly magnified (4)
2: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
15 Nov 2014 OSGR: SU40 50° 50’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: South Hants (VC 11) England
on wood chip on flower beds
Image 1: Fruitbodies - unopened and openedImage 2: Fruitbody - unopened - side viewImage 3: Fruitbody - unopened - top view
3: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
11 Oct 2014 OSGR: SU32 51° 0’ N, 1° 30’ W Vice County: South Hants (VC 11) England
under Aesculus x dallimorei & Juniperus × pfitzeriana ’Mordigan Gold’
Image 1: Fruitbodies - top viewImage 2: Fruitbody - oblique viewImage 3: Fruitbody - side viewImage 4: Fruitbody - side view (2)Image 5: Fruitbody - side view (3)Image 6: Fruitbody - top viewImage 7: Fruitbody - top view (2)Image 8: Capillitium - magnified - white backgroundImage 9: Capillitium - highly magnified - white backgroundImage 10: Capillitium - highly magnified - white background (2)Image 11: Spores - magnified - white backgroundImage 12: Spores - magnified - white background (2)Image 13: Spores - highly magnified - white backgroundImage 14: Spores - highly magnified - white background (2)Image 15: Spores - highly magnified - white background (3)
4: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
29 Oct 2006 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
in garden . Photos: Fruitbodies and onion-shaped button
Image 1: Fruitbodies - in situImage 2: Fruitbodies - opening and about to open - side view - close-upImage 3: Fruitbodies - opening and about to open - top view - close-upImage 4: Fruitbody - about to open - LS - close-up
5: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
21 Oct 2004 OSGR: SO71 51° 50’ N, 2° 20’ W Vice County: West Glos (VC 34) England
in hedge bottom under Field Maple
Image 1: Side viewImage 2: Top viewImage 3: Top view - close-upImage 4: Underside
6: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
20 Oct 2001 OSGR: SU67 51° 30’ N, 1° 0’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
broad-collared form
Image 1: Fruitbodies - in situImage 2: Fruitbody - just openingImage 3: Fruitbody - side viewImage 4: Fruitbody - top viewImage 5: Fruitbody - top view (2)
7: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
7 Oct 2001 OSGR: SU18 51° 40’ N, 1° 40’ W Vice County: North Wilts (VC 7) England
Image 1: Unopened fruitbody
8: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
15 Oct 1997 OSGR: SU67 51° 30’ N, 1° 0’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
under hazel, ash
Image 1: Side viewImage 2: Side view - close-upImage 3: Top viewImage 4: Under-side
9: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
22 Oct 1983 OSGR: SO81 51° 50’ N, 2° 10’ W Vice County: East Glos (VC 33) England
Image 1: Side viewImage 2: Top view - close-upImage 3: Top view - in situImage 4: Description
10: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
20 Oct 1980 OSGR: SU17 51° 30’ N, 1° 50’ W Vice County: North Wilts (VC 7) England
Under Beech, pine
Image 1: Fruitbody - in situ
11: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
28 Oct 1979 OSGR: SU93 51° 10’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Surrey (VC 17) England
fresh specimens
Image 1: Large specimensImage 2: Small specimensImage 3: Capillitium - highly magnifiedImage 4: Capillitium tip - from small specimen - highly magnifiedImage 5: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 6: Spores - highly magnified (2)Image 7: DescriptionImage 8: Description - large specimensImage 9: Description - smaller specimens
12: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
20 Oct 1978 OSGR: SU94 51° 10’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Surrey (VC 17) England
on disturbed bottle dump
Image 1: Mature fruitbodyImage 2: Mature fruitbody (2)Image 3: Mature fruitbody - oblique viewImage 4: Young fruitbody
13: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
25 Oct 1975 OSGR: SU57 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
mature specimens
Image 1: Fully open - oblique viewImage 2: Fully open - oblique view (2)Image 3: Fully open - side viewImage 4: Two fruitbodies
14: Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
26 Apr 1975 OSGR: SU57 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
old specimens
Image 1: Old specimen - side viewImage 2: Old specimen - side view (2)Image 3: Old specimen - side view (3)

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Kibby, G. 2004 Fungal Portraits, No. 17: Geastrum triplex Field Mycology Vol 5 (1): 3-4.
Palmer, J.T. 1955 Observations on Gasteromycetes 1-3 TBMS Vol 38 (4): 317-334.

Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 4 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)

The commonest earth-star fungus. Often found under yews and other conifers in churchyards etc,

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