Lentinus levis
Species of fungus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lentinus levis is a species of fungus in the family Polyporaceae. It can be found in subtropical to tropical climates in North America and is edible.
| Lentinus levis | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Polyporales |
| Family: | Polyporaceae |
| Genus: | Lentinus |
| Species: | L. levis |
| Binomial name | |
| Lentinus levis (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Murrill 1915 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Pleurotus levis (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Singer 1951[1] | |
Taxonomy
It was described by Miles Joseph Berkeley and Moses Ashley Curtis in 1853 and given its current name in 1915 by William Murrill.
For a long time thought to be a member of Pleurotus genus, it has been moved to genus Lentinus.[7]
Description
The whitish cap of the agaric is 6–16 centimetres (2+1⁄4–6+1⁄4 in) wide, with decurrent gills and a fairly central stem up to 12 cm (4+3⁄4 in) long and 2.5 cm (1 in) thick.[8] It has a mild to sweet smell and the spore print is white.[8]
Similar species
Pleurotus dryinus has similar fruiting bodies with a smoother cap and a more persistent partial veil.[8] Pleurotus pulmonarius has a similar floral odor.[9]
Distribution and habitat
In nature the species grows in subtropical to tropical climates[10] on dead hardwood. In North America, it can be found in the Mountain states and further east from June to October.[8]
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