Oysters?

[hitthebricks]

Out for a walk and found these. Are these oysters?

[Matt Breuer]

Do not eat.

[hitthebricks]

Hmmm. glad I didn't. poisonous?

Thanks

[NoWiser]

They don't look like the oysters I find. Do yourself a big favor and order "100 Edible Mushrooms" by Michael Kuo. You can never have too much information when it comes to mushrooms. This book will go over a most of the edibles you will find around here, and what to look for to make sure you aren't making a mistake. With mushrooms, you may not get a second chance.....

[TonkaBass]

I just saw that book at Barnes and Noble. I liked how on the last couple pages it shows an old headstone with reason for death "Fungus poisoning. Died from the land" or something like that...

[hitthebricks]

The whole thing is I am actively looking for Morels but have yet to find any.

I find this other stuff and it resembles what I remember seeing here so I pick it and ask about it.

One of my in-home care clients is a certified "mycologist" but I haven't done any care giving shifts with her lately to ask her about any of this.

Thinking about this I realize I need to give to this lady for the good of all. Aside from that, how many 94 year old ladies do you know that can argue politics and discuss current events?

Thanks for the revelation of my needs

HTB

[Stick in Mud]

Oysters don't usually have stems, or very long ones, anyways, though they do have the decurrent gills that are in the mushrooms in your photos. They also have a distinctive smell that smells like, I don't know, oyster mushrooms. That doesn't help someone who hasn't found any, but after you've found some real ones, it's pretty clear. Did you find them on fallen hardwoods? Or were they terrestrial?

I'm a major wimp when it comes to mushrooms. Anything with a thin, long white stem that looks like it MIGHT have had a volva on it (that's the sack that's left around the base of the stem), I leave alone....unless you were very careful when picking it, there's a chance you left the volva in the ground. I miss out on some edibles for sure, but I don't eat the (best named mushrooms ever...) death cap and the destroying angel.

Play no games unless you're 100% certain. Your liver and kidneys will thank you, as might your life insurance company.

[hitthebricks]

I did find them on a hardwood downfall and there was others around with no stems. If I can get over there soon I'll take some picks and post my findings.

It sounds like the morel season is over around the cities. What happens to them? do the shrivel up and die, get to big, what happens?

HTB

[Matt Breuer]

They turn to mush, go back to the land...

Oysters smell strongly of anise.