''Geastrum jurei'' is a species of

fungus A fungus (plural, : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of Eukaryote, eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and Mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified ...

in the

Geastrales Geastrales is an order of gasterocarpic basidiomycetes (fungi) that are related to Cantharellales. The order contains the single family Geastraceae, commonly known as "earthstars", which older classifications had placed in Lycoperdales, or ...

, or earthstar fungi. It is known only from Algarrobo, in the

Valparaíso Valparaíso (; ) is a major city, seaport, naval base, and educational centre in the commune of Valparaíso, Chile. "Greater Valparaíso" is the second largest metropolitan area in the country. Valparaíso is located about northwest of Santiago ...

province of Chile. It is a ''fornicate'' species of earthstar, meaning that the tips of the rays press down so as to raise the spherical spore sac into the air.

Taxonomy

Based on the characteristics of the exoperidium (the outer tissue layer of the

peridium The peridium is the protective layer that encloses a mass of spores in fungi. This outer covering is a distinctive feature of gasteroid fungi. Description Depending on the species, the peridium may vary from being paper-thin to thick and rubbe ...

), ''Geastrum jurei'' is

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in the

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''Perimyceliata'' Stanek. It is distinguished from other fornicate earthstars: ''

Geastrum smardae ''Geastrum'' (orthographical variant ''Geaster'') is a genus of puffball-like mushrooms in the family Geastraceae. Many species are known commonly as earthstars. The name, which comes from ''geo'' meaning ''earth'' and meaning ''star'', refers ...

'' and '' G. welwitschii'' belong to the section ''Basimyceliata'', '' G. quadrifidium'' has a clearly defined peristome (an opening on top of the spore sac) and '' G. fornicatum'' has a peristome the same color as the endoperidium. Although the species '' G. dissimile'' appeared to be related, Lazo examined the

type specimen In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the ...

, and proved it to be different not only by a more sulcate mouth (with deep narrow furrows or grooves) but also by other macroscopic and microscopic characters (e.g., smaller spores with acute spines). Known from Chile, the species was described in 1972, based on specimens found in Algarrobo,

, in 1966. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

is dedicated to professor Ricardo Jure M.

Description

The exoperidium is wide, high, and split into five broadly acute rays. The outer surface is strongly encrusted with sand and debris; the fibrillose layer is hard, on the outside shining, pale ochraceous, on the inside

chestnut The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. The unrelate ...

. The pseudoparenchymatic layer is thin, dark brown with a

violaceous {{Short pages monitor