 The fruit body is 1 – 8 cm ( 0 @.@ 4 – 3 @.@ 1 in ) in diameter from tip to tip when expanded . The exoperidium is thick , and the rays are typically areolate ( divided into small areas by cracks and crevices ) on the upper surface , and are dark grey to black . The spore case is sessile ( lacking a stalk ) , light gray to tan color and 1 to 3 cm ( 0 @.@ 4 to 1 @.@ 2 in ) broad with a felt @-@ like or scurfy ( coated with loose scaly crust ) surface ; the top of the spore case is opened by an irregular slit , tear or pore . The interior of the spore case , the gleba , is white and solid when young , and divided into oval locules — a characteristic that helps to distinguish it from Geastrum . The gleba becomes brown and powdery as the specimen matures . Small dark hairlike threads ( rhizomorphs ) extend from the base of the fruit body into the substrate . The rhizomorphs are fragile , and often break off after maturity . 
 The fruit body <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>1 – 8 cm ( 0 @.@ 4 – 3 @.@ 1 in ) in diameter from tip to tip when expanded . The exoperidium <a href='drop_aux' title='2'><mark>is</mark></a>thick , and the rays are typically areolate ( divided into small areas by cracks and crevices ) on the upper surface , and <a href='drop_aux' title='3'><mark>are</mark></a>dark grey to black . The spore case is sessile ( lacking a stalk ) , light gray to tan color and 1 to 3 cm ( 0 @.@ 4 to 1 @.@ 2 in ) broad with a felt @-@ like or scurfy ( coated with loose scaly crust ) surface ; the top of the spore case is opened by an irregular slit , tear or pore . The interior of the spore case , the gleba , <a href='drop_aux' title='4'><mark>is</mark></a>white and solid when young , and divided into oval locules — a characteristic <a href='null_relcl' title='5'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>helps</mark></a> to distinguish it from Geastrum . The gleba <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>becomes</mark></a> brown and powdery as the specimen <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>matures</mark></a> . Small dark hairlike threads ( rhizomorphs ) extend from the base of the fruit body into the substrate . The rhizomorphs <a href='drop_aux' title='9'><mark>are</mark></a>fragile , and often break off after maturity . 
Da fruit body 1 – 8 cm ( 0 @.@ 4 – 3 @.@ 1 in ) in diameter from tip to tip when expanded . Tdaexoperidium thick , and the rays r typically areolate ( divided into small areas by cracks and crevices ) on the upper surface , and dark grey to black . Thdapore case is sessile ( lacking a stalk ) , light gray to tan color and 1 to 3 cm ( 0 @.@ 4 to 1 @.@ 2 in ) broad wid a felt @-@ like or scurfy ( coated wwloose scaly crust ) surface ; the top of the spore case is opened by an irregular slit , tear or pore . The interior of thedaore case , the gleba , white and solid when young , and divided into oval locules — a characteristic help to distinguish it from Geastrum . The gleba become brown and powdery as the specimen mature . Small dark hairlike threads ( rhizomorphs ) extend from the base of the fruit body into the substrate . The rhizomorphs fragile , and often break off after maturity .