First record of Sphaerobolus stellatus Tode (Basidiomycota, Geastraceae) from the Amazon, Brazil

Abstract

Sphaerobolus stellatus Tode is a fascinating gasteroid fungus that is distinguished from other fungi by the diminutive morphology of the starry basidiome when mature and its peculiar strategy of spore’s dispersion. This taxon ejects the gleba for a considerable distance as if it was cannon, and therefore is popularly known as artillery fungus. Although the species is cosmopolitan, records are seldom in regions such as South America, and many of them require greater attention due to the absence of important morphological characters. In Brazil, the South American country with most records, the distribution was restricted to a few sites, none of them in the Amazon. This study describes the occurrence of S. stellatus from the Amazon, contributing to the understanding of its geographical distribution and making the material available for future diversity studies.