Notes: SSJ 405
Found at the roadside entrance to the trail, Walk-On Beach Trail, Sea Ranch. 3 miles (ish) south of Gualala.

I have seen this particular fungi growing in this exact same location every time I have looked for it, over the past seven years. I look for it every time I head up the coast, so it is pretty much there year round. However, it seems to come up as buttons only this time of the year, early to late October. It seems, when we have had a little bit of rain, a lot of fog and some sunny warm days, this fungi will fruit this time of the year. For what ever reason, I usually only find 3 or 8 fruiting bodies. This time, I found over 20. Most in a fresh button form, some were old carcasses from the previous year.

Exoperidium splitting down the middle, them splitting again into 4 – 8 rays. Often splitting again at the tips. Non hygroscopic, rays revolute and sometimes splitting radially to reveal the fibrous inner tissue. Old specimens not encrusted with soil on the bottom, fresh material slightly adhering to soil and vegetation.
Gasterocarp tan brown, saccate or nested within the center of the rays, not on a stalk. Operculum beak-like, fibers radiate upwards to a point to create a hole for the spores to escape.

Spores globose, verrucae to asperulate, golden brown in water mounts, sterigma unnoticed.

Capillitium of Geastrum type. encrusted, non-poroid, non-septate and non-speudoseptate. If septa are present, they are rare and hard to find. Straight, unbranched. If branches are present, they are rare. Semi fragile to non elastic. VERY thick walled.