Barometer earthstar: Red Data Book of Armenia

Category. VU– Vulnerable.

Brief description. Fruit body is from 2 to 4 cm across, star–shaped, globose at the beginning, covered with multilayer peridium, which is torn on maturity. White, thick fleshy, cracked exoperidium is divided from 7 to 10 pointed rays/lobes. Endoperidium is grey or brown, globose, smooth or reticulate. When mature a minor truncated pore opens on the top of the fruit body. Capillitium is colourless, branched. Gleba is brown. Spores are from 8 to 11 µm in diameter, globose, small prickly or warted, brown.

Distribution. Generally in Europe, Southern Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia). In Armenia it may be found in June in Yerevan floristic region – in the territory of "Khosrov forest" State Reserve.

Ecological, biological and phytocenological peculiarities. In Armenia it is found on sandy or loamy soil, in dry forests on the altitude of 800–1000 m above sea level. Saprotrophic fungi on humus or possibly psammotrophic on sandy.

Main factors of endangering. The corresponding cenosis desertization caused by climate change, will bring to the disappearance of the mushroom species.

Nature conservation measures. In Armenia it is conserved in corresponding ecosystems of “Khosrov forest” State Reserve. It is necessary to take measures for monitoring the state of the discovered populations and for discovery of new habitats as well.