Fauna
Fungus · GBIF taxon 7761763

Texas Star

Chorioactis geaster

Also known as Devil's Cigar, Kirinomitake

Texas star begins life as an unassuming, dark brown or velvety black cylinder resembling a slender cigar before splitting open under internal pressure. As the leathery capsule ruptures into a distinctive star of four to seven rays, it often produces an audible hiss and releases a visible puff of pale spores into the air. This striking fungus survives as a saprobe tethered strictly to decaying wood, notably the roots and stumps of cedar elms in North America and dead broadleaf trees in East Asia.

Wood-DecayingRareSaprobic
Texas Star reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Dead cedar elm wood
  • Decaying oak roots
  • Lignin and cellulose
Predators
  • Fungus gnats
  • Slugs
  • Beetle larvae
ThreatsHabitat destruction, woodland clearing, and loss of mature host trees
HabitatsDeciduous river bottoms, limestone woodlands, and temperate montane forests
Life spanEphemeral fruit body lasting 1–3 weeks; underground mycelium persists for years
Classification
  1. FamilyChorioactidaceae
  2. SpeciesChorioactis geaster
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
What to notice
Look for velvety brown or black cigar-shaped capsules that split into four to seven outward-curving rays showing light tan hymenium.
Support conservation
Photograph without disturbing the surrounding leaf litter or damaging decaying root structures.
Responsible observation
  • Timing Searches: Look closely after sustained late-autumn or winter rainstorms when moisture triggers fruit body emergence.
  • Inspect Hardwood Stumps: Focus beneath the leaf litter at the base of dead cedar elms or mature decaying oak roots.
  • Do Not Disturb: Leave fruit bodies undisturbed in place so they can complete spore dispersal across their fragile range.
Related species
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