Schwarzköpfiger Haarstern vs Zwerg-Erdstern

Geastrum melanocephalum compared with Geastrum minimum

Key Differences

• Schwarzköpfiger Haarstern is Endangered while Zwerg-Erdstern is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Schwarzköpfiger Haarstern	Zwerg-Erdstern
Kingdom same	Fungi (Pilze)	Fungi (Pilze)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Ständerpilze)	Basidiomycota (Ständerpilze)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order same	Geastrales (Geastrales)	Geastrales (Geastrales)
Family same	Geastraceae	Geastraceae
Genus same	Geastrum	Geastrum
Species	Geastrum melanocephalum	Geastrum minimum

Evolutionary Relationship

Schwarzköpfiger Haarstern and Zwerg-Erdstern share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Geastrum.

Conservation Status

Schwarzköpfiger Haarstern

EN — Endangered

Zwerg-Erdstern

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Schwarzköpfiger Haarstern	Zwerg-Erdstern
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Schwarzköpfiger Haarstern

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Zwerg-Erdstern

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Schwarzköpfiger Haarstern

Geastrum melanocephalum is an earthstar fungus in the family Geastraceae, assessed as Endangered (EN). It produces distinctive star-shaped fruiting bodies with a dark-capped spore sac and is found in stable, undisturbed grassland and woodland edge habitats. Its endangered status reflects sensitivity to habitat disturbance and the decline of traditional land management practices.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway