These fungi, Earth Stars, are of the genus Geastrum. They popped up in our garden this week. It's a fine time of year for fungi at the moment. We've counted ten or so different species within a few square metres of our front door.
The star-like structure at the base of the fruiting body originally covered the ball, but then splits open. It's a type of puffball. The ball holds the spores, and when disturbed, puffs out a mist of spores through the central pore.
I've not been posting much--or at all!--lately, because I've been hugely busy with work, study and familish stuff. Uni is going really well. I'm just loving biology to pieces. I feel like I've come home.