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314 GROWTH PARAMETERS
species concept. Furthermore, wlm P.
pulmonariuS is found wild in the west, it prefers
the higher altitude, drier coniferous forests
to the hardwood, river-bottoms where P.
ostreatuS dominates. Furthermore, P.
pulmonarius is primarily found in the spring to
early summer whereas P. ostreatus is common
from the spring through late fall. A recently
named species, P. populinus Hilber & Miller
has a marked preference for black cottonwood
(Populus trichocarpa) and aspen (Populus
tremelloides and P. trident ata) Unlike
P. ostreatus, P. populinus has, according to
Vilgalys et al. (1993), a buff-colored, non-lilac
spore print and larger spores, measuring 9-12 x
3-5
An Oyster strain from Florida, Pleurotus
florida Eger is considered by this and other authors
to be a synonym of P. ostreatus because
spores from each species are cross fertile, the
Figure 281. P. ostreatus inyceliuni 21 days aner inoculation.
mycelium forms clamp connections, and
mushrooms grown from this mating produce fertile fruitbodies. The Florida variety differs primarily
in its preference for warmer temperatures at fruiting, i.e., 750 F. (24° C.) and above. (See Li & Eger,
1978). Guzman (1993) suggests that P florida is conspecific with P. pulmonarius. Others believe P.
florida is merely a variety of P. ostreatus. Hilber (1982) noted that the original strain of Eger' s P.
florida is, in fact, interfertile
withP ostreatus. Vilgalys (1993) concurs with Hilber, but solely on the
basis of DNA comparisons. In our book, The Mushroom Cultivator (Stamets and Chilton (1983), I
incorrectly suggested synonymy between P florida and P. floridanus, the latter being a distinctly
separate species moved to the Genus Lentinus by Pegler (1983).
Another sometimes bluish Oyster mushroom called Pleurotus
columbinus is also in doubt as a
separately valid species. Singer proposes Pleurotus columbinus to be a variety of P ostreatus, i.e P
ost reatus var. columbinus (Quel. apud Bres.) Quel. This placement concurs with the long held view of
many cultivators. One feature of this variety is its nearly perfect, even cap margin and broadly convex
cap. The North American Pleurotus sapidus also shares synonymy with P ostreatus, according to
Vilgalys et al. (1993).
Unless comparative DNA techniques are employed, or interfertility studies between known species
are conducted, mistaken
identifications between these taxa are likely. Those cloning wild
specimens are therefore encouraged to retain a dried specimen for future verification of identification.
For more information, please consult Hilber (1982), Kay &Vilgalys (1992), Petersen & Hughes
(1992), and Vilgalys et al. (1993).
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