Earthstar mushrooms, what even are they? We mean, they’re not like a “regular” mushroom, but a “cool” mushroom. It’s like they’re saying, ‘Oh, you thought you knew mushrooms? Well, hold my spores!’ Earthstars belong to a group called Gasteromycetes, or “stomach fungi”. Their fruiting bodies are a stomach-shaped sac filled with dry spores. Native to Earth, the earthstar begins as a pod, or bud, and bursts open (“blooms”) as it ages. Tastefully. As it opens, it forms a starlike pattern, hence, its name. It’s all coming together! Another aspect that contributes to the opening is water. The “petals” close in on themselves as they begin to dry out, but opens like a flower when the fungus is hydrated again. It’s got a whole ‘ta-da!’ moment when it opens, revealing its spore-filled center. It’s like a mushroom that’s been invited to the fungal Oscars and decided to show up in a fabulous gown made of dirt and leaves. Who are you wearing? Umm, it’s House of Gasteromycetes. Finally, can you e...