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A type of oyster mushroom?

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:15 pm
by Penny Lane
I spotted these earlier and battle through ferns and bramble to get to them for photos, ok, not much of battle at this time of the year!
They're growing on either a young oak or silver birch (didn't look at the tree sorry!), both of which we have growing in abundance in these woods.

Sorry about the photo quality, used my phone...

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Sorry if the pics have come out a bit too large...

Thanks for any help :)

Re: A type of oyster mushroom?

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 8:20 pm
by Davie Crockett
Hi, it's Birch polypore or razorstrop fungus. It's not edible but you can hone knives on it, and thin strips of the skin can make good makeshift plasters (Antibacterial properties).

Edit: Can't see if there's gills or not to positively identify it.

Re: A type of oyster mushroom?

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:18 pm
by Penny Lane
Thanks Davie :)
Shame we can't eat it but it's good to know what it is, and what it could be used for.

Re: A type of oyster mushroom?

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 6:59 am
by Carltonian Man
The middle photo suggests there could be gills on the underside as opposed to pores; also I’d have thought polypores might be rather tough by this time of year and look less fleshy. If there are pores underneath then DC is correct, they’re polypores, but if there are gills the mushies are likely to be members of the Pleurotus family. Probably because they were taken on a mobi but the colour of the caps varies from picture to picture. Colouration in the middle pic looks good for P Ostreatus (oyster mushroom), the other two pics suggest P Petaloides (antibiotic chemicals in the gelatinous flesh can cause intestinal problems so best avoided).
It might be worth having another look at them to make a positive ID. Oysters often grow again in the same place, sometimes for a number of years.

Good luck and keep us posted

Re: A type of oyster mushroom?

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 8:19 am
by Penny Lane
Ah, now that makes sense to me now... I was reading up on how you'd use polypores as plasters and the picture showed a different underside to 'my' mushroom. They definitely have gills. And they are all the same colour, I'll take my camera next time we go up there :)

Re: A type of oyster mushroom?

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:05 am
by bill1953
Davie Crockett wrote:Hi, it's Birch polypore or razorstrop fungus. It's not edible but you can hone knives on it, and thin strips of the skin can make good makeshift plasters (Antibacterial properties).
Crocodile Dundee no less! I am impressed :icon_smile:

Re: A type of oyster mushroom?

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 4:55 pm
by hedgewizard
Carltonian Man wrote:Colouration in the middle pic looks good for P Ostreatus (oyster mushroom), the other two pics suggest P Petaloides (antibiotic chemicals in the gelatinous flesh can cause intestinal problems so best avoided).
Could well be. A little early, but it's been very mild.

Re: A type of oyster mushroom?

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 8:11 pm
by flower_hercules
Did you feel it? Birch polypore comes ayaw from the tree easily but the flesh is quite tough; I tried to cut one in half with a knife, it was really difficult, you can understand why they are good for sharpening knives!

Re: A type of oyster mushroom?

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:37 am
by Penny Lane
I'm going back up there this morning - with camera this time! Will be back later to update :)