False oyster mushrooms: photo and description, differences

Oyster mushrooms are large mushrooms with shell-shaped caps. There are several varieties of them, among which there are also false ones. It is important to distinguish the latter from edible ones, because you can seriously harm your health. Poisonous false oyster mushrooms are found only in Australia. In Russia you can find conditionally edible and inedible lookalikes.

Are there false oyster mushrooms?

Forest false oyster mushrooms exist. Determining their appearance is not so difficult if you pay attention to the color. They have a brighter color. But this is not the only sign. The differences will depend on the family of edible and inedible counterparts.

Poisonous oyster mushroom from Australia is shown in the photo below.

The poisonous look-alike grows only in Australia

What mushrooms are similar to oyster mushrooms?

There are a lot of doubles. Among them there are edible and inedible. There are three true twins - orange, late and wolf sawfolium.

Bald Sawfoil

Lives in places with cool climates. In Russia it can be found in mixed forests and areas where plains predominate.

Its growth is observed from late June to mid-October.

Distinctive features:

1. The cap is brown or red-yellow and may look like a tongue.The size is about 5-9 cm. It has a matte skin with scales and irregularities. The edges below are rounded, they are heterogeneous, and in places jagged.
2. On the inside of the cap you can see red plates with white small spores.
3. The leg can be different shades of red, most often burgundy-brown. It barely peeks out from under the cap and only attaches the plant to the wearer.
4. The pulp is hard, bitter, and has a deceptive aroma characteristic of mushrooms.

You can often see how the caps grow together. In this form, they no longer resemble a mushroom.

Wolfsaw sawfolium changes greatly when the caps grow together

Orange

The name fully matches the appearance. Color bright yellow, orange. Grows on deciduous trees, prefers birch, hazel, aspen, linden. For orange oyster mushrooms, the ideal conditions are a temperate climate.

Ripens in autumn. In southern cities it can be observed all winter. Orange false oyster mushroom is found less frequently than other members of the family.

Specimens growing in winter gradually fade and the color becomes less saturated.

False orange oyster mushroom has a bright color

Distinctive features:

• the stem is absent, a typical cap fastening is typical;
• the hat resembles a fan, it is small;
• the outer surface is velvet;
• on the inside the plates are brighter, there are quite a lot of them;
• the flesh is orange, but its color is duller;
• The aroma of the mushroom is reminiscent of melon, and the overripe one gives the smell of spoiled vegetables.

This representative of the species is inedible. It is used by gardeners to decorate the area.

Late

The false late mushroom begins to grow from wood at the beginning of spring. Can bear fruit until the first frost.It is most often found on deciduous trees, but also exists with conifers. The most common late oyster mushroom is in Caucasian cities.

Late specimens have an unusual color that allows them to be identified

Distinctive features:

• the cap can grow up to 15 cm in diameter, it has a velvety surface, and during rainstorms it becomes glossy and slippery;
• the leg is massive, but short;
• white-green plates form under the cap, the spores are lilac in color;
• the pulp is very bitter, fibrous;
• in conditions of high humidity they rot, emitting a characteristic odor.

Representatives of this species are very bitter (even after prolonged boiling).

How to distinguish false forest oyster mushrooms

To distinguish inedible oyster mushrooms, you need to thoroughly study the ordinary or oyster representatives. They are edible and prized for their low calorie content.

How to identify true oyster mushroom:

1. The cap is soft, round, and resembles an oyster. On the outside it is glossy, smooth, and sometimes fibrous. The color is gray, sometimes with shades of purple, brown, cream, and yellow. The size of the cap can reach 25 cm in diameter.
2. The stem is short, widening towards the cap. Has a cream color. Towards the base it becomes hard and fleecy.
3. The pulp is juicy and soft; as it ages, it becomes tougher due to the appearance of new fibers.

Real oyster mushroom is popular. There are a lot of cooking options. It can be stewed, dried, canned, fried, pickled, frozen. It is widespread in the countries of the former Soviet Union.It prefers low temperatures, so it begins to grow in the fall. In summer it appears in cold weather.

Photos and descriptions will help you recognize false oyster mushrooms:

1. Brighter color.
2. Lack of legs, hat fastening (not for all).
3. No characteristic mushroom smell.
4. Very bitter taste.
5. The fusion of caps and legs, the formation of a single “organism”.

In Russia, oyster mushroom lookalikes are less common than ordinary ones. They are not poisonous, but are not popular. Experienced mushroom pickers do not pay attention to them.

Conclusion

False oyster mushrooms (with the exception of Australian ones) are edible, but they cannot be eaten because of their bitter taste. Orange specimens are perfect for decorating the garden, while other representatives serve as forest orderlies. They eat steppe, carob-shaped, royal, and pulmonary species, which are pleasant to the taste, like other edible mushrooms. False mushrooms, similar to oyster mushrooms, can be identified from the photo.

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