the.com/oyster mushroom
A fungus that hunts and eats roundworms, because being a vegetable was apparently too boring
means An edible, fan-shaped mushroom (Pleurotus species) that grows in shelf-like clusters on dead or dying wood and is widely cultivated for cooking.
from Named for its looks: the broad, off-white, fan-shaped cap fanning out from a short or absent stem resembles an oyster shell, with pale gills suggesting the bivalve's flesh. The 'mushroom' part traces back through Middle English to Old French 'mousseron,' of uncertain deeper origin, possibly linked to 'mousse' (moss) for the damp, low-growing places fungi favor. The genus name Pleurotus is from Greek 'pleura' (side) and 'ous/otos' (ear), a nod to how the caps grow sideways like ears off a log.
- carnivore
- Paralyzes nematodes with toxin, then digests them alive
- taste
- Mild seafood note inspired its oceanic name
- cleanup crew
- Breaks down oil, plastic, even cigarette butts
- radiation
- Cultivated to absorb radioactivity near Chernobyl
- easy grower
- Fruits happily on coffee grounds and cardboard
king oyster mushroom — pleurotus eryngii, largest edible oyster species, cultivated in asia and europe
phoenix oyster mushroom — pleurotus djamor, vibrant pink variety native to tropical regions, commonly grown commercially
pearl oyster mushroom — pleurotus ostreatus, most widely cultivated oyster species worldwide, white to gray fruiting bodies