Berkeley's Earthstar
EN

Berkeley's Earthstar

Geastrum berkeleyi

Unknown

Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Σάββας Ζαφειρίου (Savvas Zafeiriou), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Σάββας Ζαφειρίου (Savvas Zafeiriou)

Overview

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.

Threat summary

Habitat

European countries it is found in include Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Great Britain, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland,

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TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Geastraceae

Geastrum melanocephalumEN

Geastrum melanocephalum

Unknown
Field EarthstarVU

Field Earthstar

Geastrum campestre

Unknown
Tiny EarthstarVU

Tiny Earthstar

Geastrum minimum

Unknown
Sessile EarthstarVU

Sessile Earthstar

Geastrum fimbriatum

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Berkeley's Earthstar classified as Endangered?
Berkeley's Earthstar is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. 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.
Where does Berkeley's Earthstar live?
Berkeley's Earthstar occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Berkeley's Earthstar?
The main threats to Berkeley's Earthstar are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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