[Daily article] November 9: Geastrum triplex

Geastrum triplex is an inedible species of fungus belonging to the 
genus Geastrum, or earthstar fungi. First described in 1840 as Geaster 
triplex, several authors have suggested that Geastrum indicum, 
described in 1832, is the legitimate name for the species. Immature 
fruit bodies are spherical—somewhat resembling puffballs with pointed 
beaks—and are partially or completely buried in the ground. As the 
fungus matures, the outer layer of tissue (the exoperidium) splits into 
four to eight pointed segments which spread outwards and downwards, 
lifting and exposing the spherical inner spore sac. The spore sac 
contains the gleba, a mass of spores and fertile mycelial tissue that 
when young is white and firm, but ages to become brown and powdery. The 
species is the largest of the earthstar fungi, with a tip to tip length 
of an expanded mature specimen reaching up to 12 centimeters (4.7 in). 
Geastrum triplex is a common and widespread species found in the 
detritus and leaf litter of hardwood forests in many parts of the 
world, including Asia, Australasia, Europe, and both North and South 
America. Fruit bodies have been analyzed chemically to determine their 
lipid content, and various chemical derivatives of the fungal sterol 
ergosterol have been identified. The fungus has a history of use in the 
traditional medicines of native North America and China.

Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geastrum_triplex>

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Today's selected anniversaries:

1330:

The Battle of Posada between Basarab I of Wallachia and Charles I 
Robert of Hungary began near the present-day border of Oltenia and 
Severin, Romania.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Posada>

1888:

Mary Jane Kelly was murdered in London, widely believed to be the fifth 
and final victim of the notorious unidentified serial killer Jack the 
Ripper.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Jane_Kelly>

1938:

Kristallnacht began in Nazi Germany as a part of Adolf Hitler's 
anti-Semitic policy, leading to the murder of over 90 Jews, and the 
arrest and deportation of over 25,000 others to concentration camps.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristallnacht>

1953:

Cambodia gained independence from France and became a constitutional 
monarchy under King Norodom Sihanouk.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodia>

1967:

French comic book heroes Valérian and Laureline first appeared in the 
pages of Pilote magazine.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val%C3%A9rian_and_Laureline>

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Wiktionary's word of the day:

unmask (v):
1. To remove a mask from someone.
2. To expose, or reveal the true character of someone
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/unmask>

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Wikiquote quote of the day:

History is full of people who out of fear, or ignorance, or lust for 
power have destroyed knowledge of immeasurable value which truly 
belongs to us all. We must not let it happen again.
  --Carl Sagan
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan>

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