ID of this pleurotus would be welcomed

[lawyerswig]

I found this very young pleurotus yesterday on a silver birch in mixed woodland.

[fairplay]

You have put us in a bit of an awkward position as for legal/safety reasons, we are not allowed to identify or attempt to identify fungi if it is known they are to be consumed as a result of what we say we think they are.

If I am wrong and say "Yes, it IS a species of Pleurotus", but it turns out to be a poisonous Clitocybe species instead and you became very ill, naturally you'd want to try to obtain damages.

I cannot risk that and neither can WAB which is why they have that sticky near the top of the list of threads.

Hint: Do not photograph them in the frying pan next time, do it while still attached to the tree.

Neil.

[Toonami]

I think that's a plate, not a frying pan and if i'm right then I'm going for a double with Pleurotus Ostreatus. If however it is a frying pan then I haven't got a clue.

[lawyerswig]

It is a plate. I understand the worry about identification, damages, going to court etc. But I have not said I am going to eat these fungi. Anyway, clitocybe don't grow on trees do they? I am new to this forum, but I have to say, it does seem a bit over the top with political correctness. I am sorry if this upsets anyone, but it does feel that way.

Can the moderators tell me why we must not talk about 1. location and 2. edibility - I mean in some detail?

[lawyerswig]

I do agree that I should have photographed these fungi growing on the tree. Will photograph in situ next time.

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by lawyerswig

It is a plate. I understand the worry about identification, damages, going to court etc. But I have not said I am going to eat these fungi. Anyway, clitocybe don't grow on trees do they? I am new to this forum, but I have to say, it does seem a bit over the top with political correctness. I am sorry if this upsets anyone, but it does feel that way.

Can the moderators tell me why we must not talk about 1. location and 2. edibility - I mean in some detail?

Speaking entirely for myself, (and being aware that on another thread Chris identified a plateful of Chanterelles) , there is always a possibility that a new member who thinks he/she knows all their edibles could suddenly jump in and wrongly identify a poisonous species as a good edible resulting in the poster thanking the newbie, logging out, and poisoning themselves before a more experienced mycologist tunes in and spots the error or even has a chance to notify a moderator. Result - one very ill customer.

Also, Moderators are only human and cannot be expected to monitor threads 24/7. I know sometimes it sounds silly (as in this case) and sure enough a reasonably newish member came on and did indeed come up with an ID (I'm still not saying if he's right or wrong) but as you yourself discovered (and I dropped a hint) that this was growing on a tree so it rules out any Clitocybe spp.

And with your chosen avatar name ..........

Neil.

[Lancashire Lad]

Speaking entirely for myself - I find the posting of photographs of platefulls and baskets full of fungi, edible or otherwise - (several of which have been posted today, and some of which are clearly in kitchen type settings), distasteful, and wholly against the ethos of a wildlife site like WAB.

WAB is not about gloating of the "Look what I've got in my basket" type, and clearly not intended for further study or microscopical examination.

WAB is about the beauty and diversity of British flora and fauna. There are other sites out there for mycophagy.

Sorry if that offends anyone, but as far as I'm concerned, that's the way it is.

Regards,
Mike.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by fairplay

Speaking entirely for myself, (and being aware that on another thread Chris identified a plateful of Chanterelles) , . . . .
Neil.

tbf it was for someone I know personally and am thus able to assess their approach to these things - and they were chanterelles

has the Is my fungus edible or psychotic requests sticky been pointed out on this thread? oh well it has now

I know it's difficult and we go through it every year, and I know people naturally get excited about finding something they can eat in what passes for the 'wild' in Britain in this styrofoam-packed age, but we do have to be careful on this issue; plus while we have no reason at all to suspect anyone new appearing on the forum, the possibility that in the future an irresponsible commercial fungus-picker could use us for their ecologically unsound activities is always there

I have been accused of being a killjoy in the past, but I have a gut-reaction to (and again this does not apply here) shots of tables creaking under large collections of (potentially) edible fungi - I think it can give out dodgy messages - I don't know, are the botany forums full of shots of large punnets of blackberries at the moment? I suspect not . . .

(Whoops - I've just fallen off my high horse)

I'll get mi coat

Chris

[Kayleigh]

Is my fungus edible or psychotic requests

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Is my fungus edible or psychotic requests

great minds kidda!

C