Plant of the Month: Texas Star Mushroom

Presented by Melina Carson
January 9, 2023

Botanical name: Chorioactis geaster
Common name(s): Texas Star Mushroom, Devil’s Cigar, Kirinomitake
Family: Chorioactidaceae

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[Melina] Hello everybody. This month’s “plant” is the Chorioactis geaster, commonly known as the Texas Star Mushroom. This presentation will highlight genetic history, characteristics, and distribution ranges. My name is Melina Carson, and I had the pleasure of researching this mushroom for this month’s presentation.

Chorioactis geaster is from the family Chorioactidaceae. The common names include the Texas Star Mushroom, Devil’s Cigar, and Kirinomitake. It is called the Texas Star Mushroom because in the year 2021 it officially became our state mushroom. This will be the third state to have a state mushroom now. People have called it the Devil’s Cigar because of how it looks prior to releasing its spores and opening.

In Japan, the mushroom is called Kirinomitake because the immature unopened fruiting body bears a superficial resemblance to the seed pods of kiri, or the Empress Tree. If you are wondering why there’s a Japanese name for this mushroom it is because about 19 million years ago, the Texas version diverged from the original location in Japan. Although they are not genetically identical, the mushrooms do phenotypically resemble each other to this day. I was hoping to find more information on how the spores traveled here, but there is limited information online in general about this mushroom.

Chorioactis is considered a saprobe. And although it is not considered poisonous, it is not a mushroom you want to eat because of its leathery texture and because there is very little information regarding the health side effects.

As I mentioned in the previous slide, it was tough finding information on its history. That is because the Chorioactis geaster is one of the rarest species of mushroom on Earth. It originally came from two regions in Japan and has now been spotted in 16 counties in mostly northern Texas, although the first collected fruiting body was found in 1893 in Austin. It was abundantly found along the Trinity River in Arlington as well as in Fort Worth, Texas. You may be lucky enough to spot one of these elusive species during colder climates between October to January growing on decaying Cedar Elms in Texas and dead oaks in Japan. You may spot them growing individually or in groups.

Going over some characteristics, you can immediately see how it got the Devil’s Cigar nickname. This dark brown blackish capsule is fuzzy on the outside when young and grows to be about three to four inches in length.

When there are sudden changes in humidity, spores release, creating an audible hissing sound from the pressure and what looks like smoke puffing out of the top. The hollow capsule begins to expand and open into four to seven rays resembling a star. They are fairly large mushroom because once completely open they are up to 20 centimeters across. In the top photo you can see multiple colors and textures. While the outside is fuzzy and dark brown or blackish, the inside upper surface is orange and bald.

Here are some more progression photos. The blackish fuzzy capsule opens to expose some white and then finally the dull, bald orange flesh. The Chorioactis geaster is odorless and has a leathery, firm flesh. This is one of the reasons why it is not suggested for consumption. Again, there is little to no scientific evidence on the health side effects to consider this mushroom edible, so please be advised.

If you are lucky enough to look at the spore under a microscope, you would see enormous cyanophilic spores shaped like footballs. As I stated in the previous slides, you would find these mushrooms growing individually or in groups.

In conclusion, Chorioactis geaster aka the Texas Star Mushroom or the Devil’s Cigar became the Texas state Mushroom in 2021 and is one of the rarest mushrooms in the world. While it is not considered poisonous, it is to be appreciated for its star shape only and not consumed. If you would like the opportunity to find one, the Central Texas Mycology Society posts upcoming walks.

Here are the resources that I used. I hope you enjoyed this mushroom of the month.

Have a good day!

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