Veiled oyster or Oyster mushroom

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.

Cap 5–25 cm across, rounded or ear-shaped in young mushrooms, then fan-shaped or oyster-shaped (hence the English name oyster mushroom). Surface smooth, moist, from dark gray or gray-blue in young ones to pale gray or almost white in mature ones. Margin wavy, thin.

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.

Gills crowded, whitish or cream, running from the cap down the stem. In young mushrooms the gills are tightly packed; in old ones they spread apart. Spore print white or pale lilac.

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.

Stem 1–5 cm tall (or almost absent in side-attached mushrooms), 1–2.5 cm thick, firm, off-center or lateral, white or slightly gray. No ring and no volva.

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.

Flesh white, firm in young mushrooms, more fibrous and tough in mature ones — especially in the stem. Taste mild, slightly anise-like. Soaks up flavors well during cooking.

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

Smell pleasant, anise-mushroomy, subtle. Fresh oyster mushrooms smell soft and unobtrusive. When fried, the aroma becomes stronger and closer to the classic mushroom smell.