Pleurotus ostreatus
Pleurotus pulmonarius, commonly known as the Indian Oyster, Italian Oyster, Phoenix Mushroom, or the Lung Oyster, is a mushroom very similar to "Pleurotus ostreatus", the pearl oyster, but with a few noticeable differences. The caps of "pulmonarius" are much paler and smaller than "ostreatus" and develops more of a stem. "P. pulmonarius" also prefers warmer weather than "ostreatus" and will appear later in the summer. Otherwise, the taste and cultivation of the two species is generally described as largely the same. In North America, "P. pulmonarius" also closely resembles "Pleurotus populinus", which is restricted to growing on aspen and cottonwood (genus "Populus").