Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm.
(Oyster Mushroom)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesPleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)
GenusPleurotus (oyster fungi)
FamilyPLEUROTACEAE (oyster fungi)
OrderAGARICALES (mushrooms and toadstools)
SubclassAGARICOMYCETIDAE (a subclass of basidiomycetes)
ClassAGARICOMYCETES (a class of fungi)
SubphylumAGARICOMYCOTINA (a subphylum of fungi)
PhylumBASIDIOMYCOTA (spore droppers, basidiomycetes)
KingdomFUNGI (true fungi)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom) :
1: Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)
21 Nov 2015 OSGR: SU40 50° 50’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: South Hants (VC 11) England
on top of dead, fallen pine log
Image 1: Fruitbody - oblique viewImage 2: Fruitbody - RSImage 3: Fruitbody - RS (2)Image 4: Fruitbody - top viewImage 5: Fruitbody - under sideImage 6: Gill edge - magnifiedImage 7: Spores - magnified - white backgroundImage 8: Spores - magnified - white background (2)Image 9: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 10: Spores - highly magnified (2)Image 11: Spores - highly magnified - white background
2: Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)
10 Oct 2004 OSGR: TQ96 51° 20’ N, 0° 50’ E Vice County: West Kent (VC 16) England
on dead, cut Cherry sections
Image 1: GillsImage 2: Gills - close-upImage 3: Stipe - close-upImage 4: Top view - in situ
3: Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)
30 Nov 2003 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Rather waterlogged fruitbodies on Ash coppice stool
Image 1: CapsImage 2: Caps - in situImage 3: Fruitbodies - close-upImage 4: GillsImage 5: Gills at margin - close-upImage 6: Gills - in situImage 7: Gills - in situ (2)Image 8: Gills - in situ (3)Image 9: In situImage 10: In situ (2)Image 11: Spore print - on paper (very pale lilaceous grey)Image 12: Spore print - scraped (very pale lilac)Image 13: Stipe - close-upImage 14: Gill edge - magnifiedImage 15: Gill edge - magnified (2)Image 16: Spores - magnifiedImage 17: Spores - magnified (2)Image 18: Spores - magnified (3)Image 19: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 20: Spores - highly magnified (2)Image 21: Spores - highly magnified (3)
4: Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)
27 Feb 1982 OSGR: SU26 51° 20’ N, 1° 40’ W Vice County: North Wilts (VC 7) England
Image 1: Fruitbodies - side view - in situImage 2: Fruitbody - top viewImage 3: Fruitbody - top view - in situImage 4: Fruitbody - underside showing gills - lain downImage 5: Fruitbody - underside showing gills - lain down (2)Image 6: Cystidia-like cells from gill edge - magnifiedImage 7: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 8: DescriptionImage 9: Description - contd
5: Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)
8 Nov 1975 OSGR: SU93 51° 10’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Surrey (VC 17) England
on window cill following long-standing water leak
Image 1: Fruitbody - small - top view - in situ
6: Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)
24 Oct 1973 OSGR: SE65 53° 60’ N, 1° 0’ W England
Image 1: Fruitbodies - young - side view - in situ
7: Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)
23 Dec 1971 OSGR: TQ21 50° 50’ N, 0° 10’ W Vice County: East Sussex (VC 14) England
on Beech trunk
Image 1: Fruitbodies - top view - in situImage 2: Fruitbodies - underside showing gills - in situ
8: Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)
31 Jan 1970 OSGR: TG10 52° 40’ N, 1° 10’ E Vice County: East Norfolk (VC 27) England
Image 1: Fruitbodies - underside showing gills - in situ

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Kibby, G. 2008 Pleurotus ostreatus Vol 9 (2) Page: Front cover

Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 4 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom)

A large bracket-like toadstool that grows on, and rots, timber and logs of a wide variety of species including both broadleaf and coniferous trees. The mycelium also traps and digests nematodes as an additional source of nitrogen. It is easy to cultivate and is a good edible fungus.

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