EARTHSTARS IN EPPING FOREST 137
Earthstars in Epping Forest
By Doreen Boardman
Earthstars is the attractive name given to the members of the
Geaster family. They are basically a specialised form of puff ball,
differing from the common puff balls in their star-shaped structure
which raises the spore mass above the fallen leaves amongst which
they grow on the ground.
The popular name is said to be an anglicised form of the
generic name Geaster. Most mycological text-books declare all
Earthstars to be rare. G. Massee (British Fungi) gives 12 species
as occurring in Britain and in the list of Epping Forest fungi
published by the Club in 1938 there is no mention of any species
of Earthstar. It was therefore with great surprise and delight
that I received some specimens from Sean McGivern, a young
naturalist of 91/2 who I had introduced to an interest in fungi. I
was even more amazed when he told me he had found them on
Woodford Green, less than 1/4 mile from my home. They were
identified at the British Museum (Natural History) as Geaster
bryantii.
It was pleasant to have a record of Earthstars for the Forest
area as it had always been felt it was a suitable area. I decided to
give this find wide publicity in the hope that other records might
be brought to light. The local press gave good coverage and
national papers and the B.B.C. reported the find. Two reports
came in, one from a Sports Ground in Wanstead and one from a
lady in Chingford who reported Earthstars under her privet hedge.
These were followed up and proved to be Geaster bryantii in
each case, the Chingford ones were taken to the Epping Forest
Museum. A further report of finds in the Forest near High Beach
in 1922 and at Whipps Cross in 1947 brings the number of records
to five which is very encouraging.
There are probably at least 800 species of fungi in Epping
Forest. The Essex Field Club's list of 1938, compiled by A. A.
Pearson, gives a total of 725 (this excludes cup fungi). Since I
took over the records for the Club in 1957 we have re-established
records for nearly half of these and added nearly 30 to the list.
As this example shows there is still a great deal to be done if
these records are to be a true picture of the forest fungi. I would
be delighted to hear from anyone who would like to help by send-
ing records of their finds in Epping Forest or anywhere else in
Essex.