| Pleurotus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pleurotus ostreatus | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Pleurotaceae |
| Genus: | Pleurotus (Fr.)P. Kumm. 1871 |
| Type species | |
| Pleurotus ostreatus | |
| Pleurotus | |
|---|---|
| Mycological characteristics | |
 | Gills onhymenium |
  | Ecology issaprotrophic orparasitic |
  | Edibility isedible orchoice |
Pleurotus is a genus ofgilled mushrooms with species known asoyster,abalone, ortree mushrooms. It includes some of the most commonly cultivatededible mushrooms in the world, such asP. ostreatus. Additionally, some species have been used in themycoremediation of pollutants.
The caps may be laterally attached (with nostipe). If there is a stipe, it is normally eccentric and the gills aredecurrent along it. The termpleurotoid is used for any mushroom with this general shape.[1]
The spores are smooth and elongated (described as "cylindrical"). Wherehyphae meet, they are joined byclamp connections.Pleurotus is not considered to be abracket fungus, and most of the species aremonomitic (with a soft consistency). However, remarkably,P. dryinus can sometimes bedimitic, meaning that it has additional skeletal hyphae, which give it a tougher consistency like bracket fungi.[2]
In the AmericanPacific Northwest, oysters can be found from March to May.[3]
The classification of species within the genusPleurotus is difficult due to highphenotypic variability across wide geographic ranges, geographic overlap of species, and ongoing evolution andspeciation. Earlytaxonomic efforts placed the oyster mushrooms within a very broadAgaricus asAgaricus ostreatus (Jacq. 1774).Paul Kummer defined the genusPleurotus in 1871; since then, the genus has been narrowed with some species reclassified to other genera, such asFavolaschia,Hohenbuehelia,Lentinus,Marasmiellus,Omphalotus,Panellus,Pleurocybella, andResupinatus. See Singer (1986)[4] for an example ofPleurotustaxonomy based onmorphological characteristics.
More recently, molecularphylogenetics has been utilized to determinegenetic andevolutionary relationships between groups within the genus, delineating discreteclades.[5][6][7]Pleurotus, along with the closely related genusHohenbuehelia, has been shown to bemonophyletic.[8] Tests of cross-breeding viability between groups have been used to further define which groups are deserving ofspecies rank, as opposed tosubspecies,variety, orsynonymy. If two groups of morphologically distinctPleurotus fungi are able tocross-breed and produce fertile offspring, they meet one definition ofspecies. These reproductively discrete groups, referred to as intersterility groups, have begun to be defined inPleurotus.[6][9] Many binomial names used in literature are now being grouped together asspecies complexes using this technique, and may change.
The following species list is organized according to 1. phylogenetic clade,[5][7] 2. intersterility group (group number inRoman numerals) or sub-clade,[6][9] and then 3. any older binomial names that have been found to be closely related, reproductively compatible, or synonymous, although they may no longer be taxonomically valid. This list is likely to be incomplete.
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The genus namePleurotus refers to the mushroom caps being laterally attached to the substrate. It is derived of the Ancient Greek wordπλευρόν: pleurónrib, side.[17]
Pleurotus fungi are found in bothtropical andtemperate climates throughout the world.[18] Most species ofPleurotus arewhite-rot fungi onhardwood trees, although some also decayconifer wood.[19]Pleurotus eryngii is unusual in being a weak parasite ofherbaceous plants, andP. tuber-regium produces undergroundsclerotia.[14]
In addition to beingsaprotrophic, all species ofPleurotus are alsonematophagous, catchingnematodes by paralyzing them with a toxin.[20][8] In the case of the carnivorous mushroomPleurotus ostreatus, it was shown that small, fragile lollipop-shaped structures (toxocysts) on fungal hyphae contain a volatile ketone, 3-octanone, which disrupts the cell membrane integrity of nematodes, leading to rapid cell and organismal death, hypothetically either to defend themselves and/or to acquire nutrients.[21]
Oyster mushrooms are some of the most commonly cultivatededible mushrooms.[18] They are prepared by being torn up or sliced, especially instir fry orsauté, because they are consistently thin, and so will cook more evenly than uncut mushrooms of other types.[22] They are often used invegetarian cuisine.[23]
The crew of theFram2orbital mission are planning to grow oyster mushrooms in space for the first time. The code name for this experiment isMission MushVroom, and is led by FOODiQ Global, an Australian company. If successful, these mushrooms could provide a sustainable food source during lengthy space missions.[24]
Pleurotus fungi have been used in themycoremediation of pollutants, such aspetroleum andpolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.[25][19]
The 2007Cosco Busan oil spill was remediated partly by using 1,000 mats of human hair collected from Bay Area salons woven into mats, then used to grow oyster mushrooms, helping to absorb the oil.[26]
After the 2017Tubbs Fire in California, oyster mushrooms were grown to help remediate toxic ash run-off.[27]
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