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Pleurotus euosmus
Scientific 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 euosmusMycological characteristics
	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

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.

Description

General

• 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.

Microscopic characteristics

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

Distribution, habitat & ecology

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.

Similar species

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.

Human impact

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

References

1. ^ Stamets, Paul (1993). "Chapter 21: Growth Parameters for Gourmet and Medicinal Mushroom Species". Growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms = (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.

• Fungal tree pathogens and diseases
• Pleurotaceae
• Edible fungi
• Fungi of the United Kingdom