The gasteroid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota. Species were formerly placed in the obsolete class Gasteromycetes Fr. (literally "stomach fungi"), or the equally obsolete order Gasteromycetales Rea, because they produce spores inside their basidiocarps (fruit bodies) rather than on an outer surface. However, the class is polyphyletic, as such species—which include puffballs, earthballs, earthstars, stinkhorns, bird's nest fungi, and false truffles—are not closely related to each other. Because they are often studied as a group, it has been convenient to retain the informal (non-taxonomic) name of "gasteroid fungi".
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In this Dossier
Puffballs in the context of Geastraceae
The Geastrales are an order of gasterocarpic basidiomycetes (fungi) that are related to the Gomphales. The order contains the families Geastraceae—which include the "earthstars" formerly placed in Lycoperdales or Phallales,—and also Schenellaceae, Sclerogastraceae and Sphaerobolaceae.
About 160 species are classified in this order, divided among seven or eight genera, including Geastrum, Myriostoma and Sphaerobolus. Sphaerobolus species are known as "shotgun fungus" or "cannonball fungus". They colonize wood-based mulches and may throw black, sticky, spore-containing globs onto nearby surfaces.