species fungus family young fruit bodies resemble small spheres lying soil mushroom matures thick outer layer tissue splits star like form number arms curve downward reveal inner spore sac contains fertile tissue known spore sac narrow opening spores released fully expanded fruit bodies wide tall collected spain mid-19th century fungus distributed europe north_america bermuda taxonomy fungus collected spain austrian explorer botanist british mycologist obtained specimens thought sent specimen french mycologist named variant world monograph considered species variety described var synonym according ranks level genus concept genus classified section includes species outer layer incorporate sand debris classified opening spore sac description mature fruit body small medium sized spore sac meaning spore sac raised air rays press unlike fungi layer debris fruit body develops indistinct boundary young fruit bodies prior opening found near surface ground rounded attached substrate basal cord expanded fruit body small medium sized outer upper arched layers split half way point rays cup free attached base developed corresponding rays width fruit body height including high cup diameter layer layer thin walled usually angular randomly arranged cells tightly packed initially later brownish age dark brown cracked moist reddish brown layer colored outer free layer tips rays layer brown somewhat yellowish brown outer surface reddish brown moist debris debris sand adhere inner smooth dull somewhat glossy brown spore sac roughly spherical diameter stalk short distinct high light color developed inner smooth eye densely protruding light grayish brown tips present distinct boundaries mouth area developed broadly club shaped cross section whitish pale mature brown spores roughly spherical contain oil measure diameter scanning electron revealed spore surface covered column like processes high similar species similar having rays cup shaped layer distinguished cup outer surface similar morphological characters minimum having small fruit bodies whitish spore differentiated minimum rays layer easily layer form cup distinguished dark smaller spores according common coastal forests hawaii species closely allied differs main species surface sac shaped body smaller spores likened outer surface fruit habitat distribution fungus saprobic grows ground leaf litter wood collected spain south_carolina florida bermuda
Geastrum welwitschii