Pleurotus euosmus, also known as tarragon oyster mushroom, is a species of edible fungus in the genus Pleurotus, It is quite similar to the better-known Pleurotus ostreatus, but it is distinguished by its strong smell reminiscent of tarragon and substantially larger spores.

Pleurotus euosmus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Pleurotaceae
Genus: Pleurotus
Species:
P. euosmus
Binomial name
Pleurotus euosmus
(Berk.) Sacc., 1887
Synonyms

Pleurotus ostreatus euosmus (Berk.) Massee, 1893

Pleurotus euosmus
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Gills on hymenium
Cap is convex or depressed
Hymenium is decurrent
Stipe is bare
Spore print is pink
Ecology is saprotrophic or parasitic
Edibility is choice

Description

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General

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  • The cap grows from 5 to about 15 cm, with beige-tan to dingy-brown surface. It is first convex, becoming plane and then depressed with age.
  • The stem is short, sometimes absent, may be forked and can vary from excentric to fairly central. Each stem may be up to about 12 cm long and up to 2 cm thick.
  • The dingy gills are decurrent down the stem and broad.
  • The spore print is pale pinkish-lilac.[1]

Microscopic characteristics

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  • The spores in the form of a rather elongated ellipsoid are around 12-14 μm by 4-5 μm.[1]

Distribution, habitat & ecology

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This mushroom is saprotrophic and can also be a weak parasite. It occurs in stumps and fallen trunks, preferring elms. It is fairly rare, limited to the British Isles, reported only in England and Scotland.[1]

Similar species

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Pleurotus euosmus is quite similar to the well-known food mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus, to the point of Watling & Gregory having considered P. euosmus a variety of P. ostreatus. However, later phylogenetic research has shown it is more closely related to Pleurotus citrinopileatus and Pleurotus cornucopiae, belonging to their intersterility group in P. djamor-cornucopiae clade.[2]

Human impact

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This mushroom is edible and it can be cultivated in a manner similar to P. ostreatus.[1] It is cultivated by individual hobbyists, but not cultivated on a wide/commercial scale.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Stamets, Paul (1993). "Chapter 21: Growth Parameters for Gourmet and Medicinal Mushroom Species". Growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms = [Shokuyo oyobi yakuyo kinoko no sabai] (1st ed.). Berkeley, California, USA: Ten Speed Press. pp. 309–312. ISBN 0-89815-608-4.
  2. ^ Vilgalys, R.; Moncalvo, J.M.; Liou, S.R.; Volovsek, M. (1996). "Recent advances in molecular systematics of the genus Pleurotus" (PDF). In Royse, D.J. (ed.). Mushroom biology and mushroom products: proceedings of the 2nd International Conference, June 9–12, 1996. University Park, PA (USA): Pennsylvania State University: World Society for Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products. pp. 91–101. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-02. Retrieved 2011-03-10.