Berkeley's Earthstar
Geastrum berkeleyi
Geastrum berkeleyi, or Berkeley's earthstar, is an inedible species of mushroom belonging to the genus Geastrum, or earthstar fungi. It can be distinguished from other Geastrum species by the flat bipyramidal shape of the calcium oxalate crystals found on its endoperidium.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Σάββας Ζαφειρίου (Savvas Zafeiriou), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Σάββας Ζαφειρίου (Savvas Zafeiriou)
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Basidiomycota
Class
Agaricomycetes
Order
Geastrales
Family
Geastraceae
Genus
Geastrum
Berkeley's Earthstar belongs to the family Geastraceae, order Geastrales, within the Agaricomycetes class.
Species Profile
Geastrum berkeleyi, or Berkeley's earthstar, is an inedible species of mushroom belonging to the genus Geastrum, or earthstar fungi. It can be distinguished from other Geastrum species by the flat bipyramidal shape of the calcium oxalate crystals found on its endoperidium.
Berkeley's Earthstar faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from urban development and agricultural conversion of its specialized woodland habitats. The species is particularly vulnerable because of its limited distribution, specific ecological requirements, and sensitivity to environmental disturbances that affect its mycorrhizal relationships with host trees.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
European countries it is found in include Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Great Britain, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, }}
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Berkeley's Earthstar faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from urban development and agricultural conversion of its specialized woodland habitats. The species is particularly vulnerable because of its limited distribution, specific ecological requirements, and sensitivity to environmental disturbances that affect its mycorrhizal relationships with host trees.
Agricultural conversion of woodland habitats
Habitat loss and fragmentation from urban development
Climate change affecting moisture and temperature regimes
Disruption of mycorrhizal relationships with host trees
Collection pressure from mycologists and foragers
Community Sightings
Report a sightingNo community sightings yet. Be the first to report!
Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Berkeley's Earthstar (Geastrum berkeleyi). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/berkeleys-earthstar