Sphaerobolus stellatus Tode
(Shooting Star, Cannon Fungus)

Interactions where Sphaerobolus stellatus is the dominant partner and gains from the process

The following relationships have been collated from the published literature (see 'Interaction References').

Stage Summary Taxon Vernacular Classification References Darwin Classification of Active Taxon Active Taxon Active Vernacular Active Taxon Uncertain Active State Active Part Active Stage Relationship Relationship Uncertain Relationship Geography Darwin Classification of Passive Taxon Passive Taxon Passive Vernacular Passive Taxon Uncertain Passive State Passive Part Passive Stage Passive Taxon's significance to Active Taxon Indoors etc Season
fruitbody fruitbody is saprobic in/on dung or excretions of dung Bos taurus Cattle, Domestic Cattle Artiodactyla: Bovidae Sphaerobolus: still exciting, Ingold, C.T., 2006
/Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Geastrales/Geastraceae/Sphaerobolus stellatus/Sphaerobolus stellatusshooting star, cannon fungusfruitbody Animal / dung / saprobe /Animalia/Chordata/Mammalia/Artiodactyla/Bovidae/Bos taurus/Bos tauruscattle, domestic cattledung
fruitbody fruitbody is saprobic in/on dung or excretions of weathered dung [Herbivores] mammalian herbivores Checklist of the British and Irish Basidiomycota, Legon, N.W. & Henrici, A. with Roberts, P.J., Spooner, B.M. & Watling, R., 2005
Keys to Fungi on Dung, Richardson, M.J. & Watling, R., 1997
/Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Geastrales/Geastraceae/Sphaerobolus stellatus/Sphaerobolus stellatusshooting star, cannon fungusfruitbody Animal / dung / saprobe /Animalia/Chordata/Mammalia/Herbivores/Herbivoresmammalian herbivoresweathereddung
fruitbody fruitbody is saprobic on dead, decaying debris [Herbaceous Plants] herbaceous plants Checklist of the British and Irish Basidiomycota, Legon, N.W. & Henrici, A. with Roberts, P.J., Spooner, B.M. & Watling, R., 2005
/Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Geastrales/Geastraceae/Sphaerobolus stellatus/Sphaerobolus stellatusshooting star, cannon fungusfruitbody Foodplant / saprobe /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Herbaceous Plants/Herbaceous Plantsherbaceous plantsdead, decayingdebris
fruitbody fruitbody is saprobic on decayed straw [Cereals] cereals Poales: Poaceae Checklist of the British and Irish Basidiomycota, Legon, N.W. & Henrici, A. with Roberts, P.J., Spooner, B.M. & Watling, R., 2005
/Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Geastrales/Geastraceae/Sphaerobolus stellatus/Sphaerobolus stellatusshooting star, cannon fungusfruitbody Foodplant / saprobe /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Poales/Poaceae/Cereals/Cerealscerealsdecayedstraw
fruitbody fruitbody is saprobic on dead, decayed wood UK/Ireland [Trees] broadleaved and coniferous trees Sphaerobolus: still exciting, Ingold, C.T., 2006
Checklist of the British and Irish Basidiomycota, Legon, N.W. & Henrici, A. with Roberts, P.J., Spooner, B.M. & Watling, R., 2005
/Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Geastrales/Geastraceae/Sphaerobolus stellatus/Sphaerobolus stellatusshooting star, cannon fungusfruitbody Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Trees/Treesbroadleaved and coniferous treesdead, decayedwood
fruitbody fruitbody is saprobic on dead, decaying woodchip of mulch [Trees] broadleaved and coniferous trees Checklist of the British and Irish Basidiomycota, Legon, N.W. & Henrici, A. with Roberts, P.J., Spooner, B.M. & Watling, R., 2005
/Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Geastrales/Geastraceae/Sphaerobolus stellatus/Sphaerobolus stellatusshooting star, cannon fungusfruitbody Foodplant / saprobe /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Trees/Treesbroadleaved and coniferous treesdead, decayingwoodchipmulch

Author & YearTitleSource
Ingold, C.T., 2006Sphaerobolus: still excitingVol 20 (1)
Legon, N.W. & Henrici, A. with Roberts, P.J., Spooner, B.M. & Watling, R., 2005Checklist of the British and Irish Basidiomycota517pp, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Richardson, M.J. & Watling, R., 1997Keys to Fungi on Dung2 edition, 68pp, British Mycological Society

Sphaerobolus stellatus (Shooting Star, Cannon Fungus) may also be included in 'feeds on' relations listed under the following higher taxa:

Sphaerobolus stellatus (Shooting Star, Cannon Fungus) may be included in 'fed on by' relations listed under the following higher taxa:

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesSphaerobolus stellatus (Shooting Star, Cannon Fungus)
FamilyGEASTRACEAE (earthstars)
OrderGEASTRALES (earth-stars)
SubclassPHALLOMYCETIDAE (stinkhorns, stinkhorn truffles, and earth-stars, coral, tooth and club fungi)
ClassAGARICOMYCETES (a class of fungi)
SubphylumAGARICOMYCOTINA (a subphylum of fungi)
PhylumBASIDIOMYCOTA (spore droppers, basidiomycetes)
KingdomFUNGI (true fungi)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Sphaerobolus stellatus (Shooting Star, Cannon Fungus)

Sphaerobolus stellatus (Shooting Star, Cannon Fungus) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

General Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Ingold, C.T. 2006 Sphaerobolus: still exciting Vol 20 (1)
Ingold, C.T. 1999 Active liberation of reproductive units in terrestrial fungi Mycologist Vol 13 (3): 113-116.
Webster, J. & Weber, R.W.S. 1999 Teaching Techniques for Mycology: 8. Fruiting cultures of Sphaerobolus stellatus Teaching Techniques for Mycology Mycologist Vol 13 (04): 151-153.

Literature listed under the following higher taxa may also be relevant to Sphaerobolus stellatus (Shooting Star, Cannon Fungus):

BioImagesBioImages (www.bioimages.org.uk) has 12 images of Sphaerobolus stellatus (Shooting Star, Cannon Fungus)
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