Library / English Dictionary

EARTHSTAR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any fungus of the family Geastraceae; in form suggesting a puffball whose outer peridium splits into the shape of a star

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Hypernyms ("earthstar" is a kind of...):

fungus (an organism of the kingdom Fungi lacking chlorophyll and feeding on organic matter; ranging from unicellular or multicellular organisms to spore-bearing syncytia)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "earthstar"):

Geastrum coronatum (an earthstar with a bluish spore sac and a purplish brown gleba; at maturity the outer layer splits into rays that bend backward and elevate the spore sac)

Astreus pteridis (the largest earthstar; the fruiting body can measure 15 cm across when the rays are expanded)

Astreus hygrometricus (a common species of earthstar widely distributed in sandy soil; the gleba is a pale tan)

Holonyms ("earthstar" is a member of...):

family Geastraceae; Geastraceae (a family of earthstar fungi belonging to the order Lycoperdales)

Credits