Editing Geastrales

{{Short description|Order of fungi}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = 
| image = Geastrum triplex.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Geastrum triplex]]''
| display_parents = 2
| parent_authority = K.Hosaka & Castellano (2007)<ref name=Hosaka2007/>
| taxon = Geastraceae
| authority = [[August Carl Joseph Corda|Corda]] (1842)<ref name=Corda1842/>
| type_genus = ''Geastrum''
| type_genus_authority = [[Pers.]] (1801)
| synonyms_ref = <ref>{{harvnb|Kirk|Cannon|Minter|Stalpers|2008|p=648}}</ref>
| synonyms = 
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision = ''[[Boninogaster]]''<br>
''[[Geasteroides]]''<br>
''[[Geastrum]]''<br>
''[[Myriostoma]]''<br>
''[[Schenella]]''<br>
''[[Sclerogaster]]''<br>
''[[Sphaerobolus]]''<br>
''[[Terrostella]]''
}}

'''Geastrales''' is an [[order (biology)|order]] of [[puffballs|gasterocarpic]] [[Basidiomycota|basidiomycetes]] ([[fungi]]) that are related to [[Gomphales]]. The order contains the [[family (biology)|families]] '''Geastraceae''', which includes the "earthstars" formerly placed in [[Lycoperdales]] or [[Phallales]],<ref name="Kirk2001" /><ref name="Kirk2008" /> and also '''Schenellaceae''', '''Sclerogastraceae''' and '''Sphaerobolaceae'''.

About 160 species are [[biological classification|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 [[mulch]]es and may throw black, sticky, [[spore]]-containing globs onto nearby surfaces.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Lehman | first1 = RD. |name-list-style=vanc | year = 1985 | title = Black spots on houses—an insect or disease problem? | journal = Penn Dept Agric Bur Pl Ind, Reg Hort | volume = 11 | pages = 15–16 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Brantley | first1 = EA | last2 = Davis | first2 = DD | last3 = Kuhns | first3 = LJ. |name-list-style=vanc | year = 2001 | title = Biological control of the artillery fungus, ''Sphaerobolus stellatus'', with ''Trichoderma harzianum'' and ''Bacillus subtilis'' | journal = Journal of Environmental Horticulture | volume = 19 | issue =1 | pages = 21–23 |doi=10.24266/0738-2898-19.1.21 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

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.<ref>Kuhar, F., Castiglia, V., & Papinutti, L. (2013). Geastrum species of the La Rioja province, Argentina. Mycotaxon, 122, 145-156. https://doi.org/10.5248/122.145</ref> The [[basidiocarp|fruiting bodies]] of several earthstars are [[Hygrometer|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 becomes detached from the ground and may roll around like a [[tumbleweed]]. In wetter weather, the rays moisten and uncurl; some even curl backward lifting the spore sac up. This allows rain or animals to hit the spore sac, emitting [[spore]]s when enough moisture is present for them to [[germinate]] and establish.

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=Corda1842>{{cite book |author=Corda ACJ. |title=Icones fungorum hucusque cognitorum |year=1842 |volume=5 |publisher=J.G. Calve |location=Prague |pages=1–92 (see p. 25) |language=la}}</ref>

<ref name=Hosaka2007>{{cite journal |vauthors=Hosaka K, Bates ST, Beever RE, Castellano MA, Colgan W 3rd, Domínguez LS, Nouhra ER, Geml J, Giachini AJ, Kenney SR, Simpson NB, Spatafora JW, Trappe JM |s2cid=196585804 |year=2006 |title=Molecular phylogenetics of the gomphoid-phalloid fungi with an establishment of the new subclass ''Phallomycetidae'' and two new orders| journal=Mycologia |volume=98 |issue=6 |pages=949–959 |doi=10.3852/mycologia.98.6.949 |pmid=17486971}}</ref>

<ref name=Kirk2001>{{cite book |vauthors=Kirk PM, Cannon PF, David JC, Stalpers JA |title=Ainsworth & Bisby's Dictionary of the Fungi |edition=9th |publisher=CABI Bioscience |year=2001 |page=205 |isbn=978-0-85199-377-5}}</ref>

<ref name=Kirk2008>{{cite book |last1=Kirk |first1=PM |last2=Cannon |first2=PF |last3=Minter |first3=DW |last4=Stalpers |first4=JA |title=Dictionary of the Fungi |edition=10th |publisher=CAB International |year=2008 |page=274 |isbn=9780851998268 }}</ref>

}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Geastrales}}
*{{cite web |title=''Geastrales'' K. Hosaka & Castellano |work=Atlas of Living Australia |url=https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:indexfungorum.org:names:501522}}

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q2370701|from2=Q3100041}}

[[Category:Geastraceae| ]]
[[Category:Basidiomycota orders]]
[[Category:Agaricomycetes]]


{{Geastrales-stub}}