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tiny earthstar fungus

Tiny Earthstar Geastrum minimum

Keep an eye out for these tiny star-shaped fungi, which are not much bigger than rabbit droppings, in short turf along the coast. Their fruit bodies are initially roughly spherical before the outer peridium splits to form a star with 6–11 rays. It is found in mature sand dune systems where broken seashells raise the alkalinity of the sandy soil. Image: Neil Mahler (Flickr)

Find out more: iNaturalist, Kew factsheet (pdf)