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Oyster mushroom

Pleurotus ostreatus

Photo by Jae
Published on Project Noah
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52.2876, 6.12936

Field Notes

Description:

Pleurotus ostreatus has a broad, fan or oyster-shaped cap spanning 5 – 25 cm. Natural specimens range from white to gray or tan to dark-brown. The margin is inrolled when young, and is smooth and often somewhat lobed or wavy. The flesh is white, firm, and varies in thickness due to stipe arrangement. The gills of the mushroom are white to cream, and descend on the stalk if present. If so, the stipe is off-center with a lateral attachment to wood. The spore print of the mushroom is white to lilac-gray, and best viewed on dark background. The mushroom's stipe is often absent. When present, it is short and thick.

Habitat:

The oyster mushroom is widespread in many temperate and subtropical forests throughout the world, although it is absent from the Pacific Northwest of North America. It is a saprotroph that acts as a primary decomposer of wood, especially deciduous trees, and beech trees in particular.

Notes:

Spotted in Nieuwe Rande Forest in rural area of Deventer, Holland.(sources:see reference)

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)

Thanks for your explanation and suggestion for an ID, Lipase. And I agree with you, looking at my photos I don't see any remnants of a veil. I made some notes about it, but I also have little to none experience so I might have mistaken the in-rolled margins for veil remnants. Thanks again.
Hi Jae, I couldn't see any veil remnants which made me think P. ostreatus because, judging by photos on the internet, P. ostreatus also has the in-rolled margin when young at least and the same colour. If you saw veil remnants for sure I'd guess you were right. Admittedly I haven't had any experience trying to tell between the two species! Good luck with finding an ID
Hello Lipase, I could very well have made a mistake in identifying this mushroom. But the rolled in margins of the caps and what I thought looked like remnants of a veil is what made me pick Pleurotus dryinus. Please feel free to correct me if you think I made a mistake.
What makes you think it is P. dryinus?

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