Elm oyster or Veiled oyster

Cap 6-15 (up to 20) cm, at first hemispherical, then convex-spreading to flat. Color white, cream, the center may be light grayish-brown. Surface smooth, dry, slightly shiny in wet weather. In old mushrooms it may crack into scales in the center.

Cap up to 20 cm across, attached by its side to the substrate, fan-shaped, convex in young ones, then flattening out. The color is pale cream to beige, sometimes with a yellowish tint. The surface of a young mushroom is velvety, with fine grayish-brown scales; with age it becomes smooth, and in old ones it may crack. Remnants of the veil sometimes remain on the edges.

Gilled hymenophore. Gills close, adnate or slightly decurrent. Color white to cream. Spore print white to pale cream.

The gills run far down the stem and sometimes join one another with wavy cross-connections in the lower part. White in color, yellowish in mature ones. The spore print is white; spores are elongated, 9–15 × 3–5 µm.

Stem 5-12 cm tall, 1.5-3 cm thick, cylindrical, often eccentric (off-center from the cap) or curved at the base. Color white to cream. Surface fibrous, sometimes with white downy patches in the lower part (remnants of mycelium). No ring.

The stem is short and lateral, from practically absent to 10 cm tall. Whitish or pale brownish in color. A distinctive feature is a membranous or flaky ring in the upper part (veil remnants); in mature ones it often falls off, leaving a band.

The flesh white, dense, meaty, firm when young. The color doesn't change when cut. It may taste slightly bitter raw — a short boil is enough.

The flesh is white, springy and fibrous in young mushrooms, tough and leathery with age. It does NOT change color when cut. It sometimes contains extra thick-walled hyphae that add to its toughness.

Faint, pleasant mushroomy smell, sometimes with a mealy note. Mild taste, slightly bitter when raw.

The smell is pleasant, slightly fruity or sourish; in young ones it recalls a wildflower. The taste is mild and delicate.