Grey Dove Oyster Grey Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus Ostreatus Gourmet Mushroom Culture
The oyster mushroom, also known as Pleurotus ostreatus, hiratake, or pearl oyster mushroom, is a commonly sought-after edible mushroom. It can be found in the wild or cultivated on straw and other media.
The cap of the mushroom is broad, fan-shaped, and can range in size from 2-30 centimeters. Natural specimens range in color from white to gray or tan to dark-brown. The flesh is firm, white, and varies in thickness due to stipe arrangement. The gills are white to cream and descend on the stalk if present. The spore print is white to lilac-gray and is best viewed on a dark background. The mushroom’s stipe is often absent, but when present, it is short and thick. The mushroom has a bittersweet aroma of benzaldehyde, which is also characteristic of bitter almonds.
P. ostreatus is a carnivorous fungus that preys on nematodes using a calcium-dependent toxin that paralyzes the prey within minutes of contact, causing necrosis and forming a slurry to facilitate ingestion as a protein-rich food source.
Similar species include Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurocybella porrigens, Hohenbuehelia petaloides, and Phyllotopsis nidulans. Toxic lookalikes include Omphalotus nidiformis in Australia and Japan, and in North America, Omphalotus olivascens and Clitocybe dealbata.
The Latin and common names refer to the shape of the fruiting body. The Latin pleurotus (side-ear) refers to the sideways growth of the stem with respect to the cap, while ostreatus (and the English common name, oyster) refers to the shape of the cap, which resembles the bivalve of the same name. The name grey oyster mushroom may be used for P. ostreatus.
The oyster mushroom is widespread in many temperate and subtropical forests throughout the world. It acts as a primary decomposer of wood, especially deciduous trees and beech trees in particular. It is a white-rot wood-decay fungus that benefits the forest by decomposing the dead wood, returning vital elements and minerals to the ecosystem in a form usable to other plants and organisms. Oyster mushrooms bioaccumulate lithium. The standard oyster mushroom can grow in many places, but some related species, such as the branched oyster mushroom, only grow on trees and may be found all year round in the UK.
