Species details
Elastic oysterling
Panellus mitis
Inedible
Photo: Eugene Popov · CC BY 4.0 · Photo source · License
Description
A small white shell-shaped wood fungus with a slimy cap, white gills and short lateral stem, mainly on conifer wood.
Identification features
Cap only 0.5–2 cm wide, white to pale ochre, smooth and slimy. Gills are white; the stem is short, lateral and white-floccose.
Identification checklist
Check the small size, white to pale-ochre slimy cap, short lateral stem and growth on conifer wood.
How to separate similar species
Panellus stipticus is more ochre to brownish and differently shaped. Pleurocybella porrigens is larger and nearly stalkless.
Habitat
Grows on dry and dead conifer branches, especially spruce and pine, mainly in autumn and during winter thaws.
Fruiting period
October, November, December, January, February, March