Not oysters but Lentinellus ursinus?

[Trapperrev]

I picked some of these thinking they were oyster (wanting samples to ID better) but they smell peppery. My wife thinks they smell like allspice.  

Am I correctly seeing the saw tooth edge on the gills of Lentinellus ursinus?

 

[Rondayvous]

Yet another Oyster Lookalike that never gets mentioned in the "oysters are easy to identify" literature. Let us know if it tastes peppery? Taste as in "chew it, then spit it out.

[Trapperrev]

Thanks. I think I'll pass on tasting it. 

[Dave W]

I'm not completely confident here, but I think these are a species of Pleurotus (Oyster Mushrooms). Mushroom Expert mentions the darkened gill edges for P. ostreatus. 

[Trapperrev]

Thanks. That's what I was hoping to begin with but I didn't smell them until I got home and they smell strongly of pepper which seemed strange. Are there any oysters that smell like pepper?

[Rondayvous]

While I wouldn't "taste" a cort or an Aminita, tasting something like this or a Bolete can be a good way to ID the fungi. Of course if you can't ID the deadly mushrooms, you shouldn't go around tasting stuff.

[Trapperrev]

Thanks. I agree - I've read that can be safe - if you know which could be generally safe to begin with. I don't. I don't know near enough of what I'm doing to know that. Maybe in a few years of reading and exploring and verifying.

[GCn15]

18 hours ago, Trapperrev said:

Thanks. That's what I was hoping to begin with but I didn't smell them until I got home and they smell strongly of pepper which seemed strange. Are there any oysters that smell like pepper?

Smell has probably confirmed your lentinellus proposal. By the pictures I would have suggested pleurotus as well, but that's why having your hands on the mushroom is always the best bet for ID.

On 9/29/2020 at 2:35 PM, Rondayvous said:

Yet another Oyster Lookalike that never gets mentioned in the "oysters are easy to identify" literature. Let us know if it tastes peppery? Taste as in "chew it, then spit it out.

While I agree with your premise that we don't hear much about oyster "look alikes", I still think oysters are one of the easiest mushrooms to identify. The look alikes give themselves away pretty easily and that's probably why you don't see a ton of literature about them.

[Rondayvous]

22 minutes ago, GCn15 said:

While I agree with your premise that we don't hear much about oyster "look alikes", I still think oysters are one of the easiest mushrooms to identify. The look alikes give themselves away pretty easily and that's probably why you don't see a ton of literature about them.

This one gives itself away by the taste. Which can be pretty hot and nasty (BTW), should be listed as a lookalike in the literature, IMO. I can easily imagine someone reading the literature, frying up a pan of this stuff and getting a big surprise with the first bite. While it should never be used as the primary way to ID a mushroom, tasting (then spitting out) a mushroom that you've excluded as poisonous and are reasonably sure about, can be a good way to confirm your ID.

[Trapperrev]

That is EXACTLY what would have happened. I was ready to cook them and I expect it would have been a nasty surprise. 

Even if the look a likes give themselves away easily it would be nice if more info was given. 

[Rondayvous]

I would have tasted your's to verify. It looks a lot like an oyster.

[Trapperrev]

Thanks. I may if I come across some again but I'm pretty cautious. 

[Dave W]

Trapperrev, the smells you report... "peppery" is your account whereas your wife smelled "allspice", was it the exact same mushroom? Or in each case was a mushroom  pulled from a collection? 

[Trapperrev]

Yes, I smelled one then held it to her nose. And we both smelled each of the pieces. We both thought they smelled spicy yet described it a little differently. I've read that oysters have a fishy, seafood smell which is a part of what gives them their name. That smell didn't seem fishy.

[Howard]

I agree with Dave; this looks more like Pleurotus than Lentinellus. The lamellae look too distantly spaced for L. ursinus. They don't seem to have the "distinctively saw-toothed" edges, as Mushroom Expert describes the serrations. The whole mushroom, especially the gills, appear too stark white to be L. ursinus, which, to me, always look a little buff colored with often a tint of pink; yours are very white, except for the outer margin of the pileus and the edges of the gills (which Kuo tells us P. ostreatus will also yellow and brown along the edges, as your second pic shows). I think this is from age and/or dry conditions. Your specimens seem to be mainly bald and I don't see the fuzzy hairs on the cap surface, especially near the base, which will begin turning brown at early maturity on L. ursinus.

I wouldn't worry about doing the "nibble test" on this one. L. ursinus is so peppery, like Lactarius Piperatus), you won't get it past the tip of your tongue before ID'ing it as the bear, because the bear bites your tongue. As to smell, each of us has our own interpretation of smell; spicy, fishy, peppery - all hard for me to distinguish. I'd say taste a small piece and, if your mouth isn't burning, cook 'em and eat 'em.

[Howard]

I just got back from a woods walk and was thinking of your post, so I shot a couple pics of L. ursinus. See how serrated the edges of the lamellae are? Also they have the slight pink tint I mentioned.

[Trapperrev]

Thanks! So there's a fair chance that distinct smell was likely "oyster" smell?

The pictures help, thank you!

[Howard]

You're welcome. Just for kicks I tasted it and the tip of my tongue is still burning. I don't need any pepper on the salad I'm eating for lunch!

[Rondayvous]

On 10/2/2020 at 1:55 PM, Howard said:

You're welcome. Just for kicks I tasted it and the tip of my tongue is still burning. I don't need any pepper on the salad I'm eating for lunch!

That taste can stay with you a while. I keep crackers in my pocket, which I chew and spit out, just for those occasions.