Pleurotus eryngii
Encyclopedia
Pleurotus eryngii is an edible mushroom native to Mediterranean
regions of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, but also grown
in parts of Asia.
In Italian
it is called cardoncello; in Chinese
, it is called xìng bào gū (杏鮑菇, lit. "almond abalone mushroom"), cì qín gū (刺芹菇, lit. "stab celery mushroom"), or cì qín cè ěr (刺芹側耳, lit. "stab celery side ear"); in Japanese
, it is called eringi (katakana
: エリンギ).
genus, Pleurotus
, which also contains the oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus. It has a thick, meaty white stem and a small tan cap (in young specimens). Its natural range extends from the Atlantic Ocean
through the Mediterranean Basin
and Central Europe
into Western Asia and India
. Unlike other species of Pleurotus, which are wood-decay fungi
, the P. eryngii complex are weak parasites on the roots of herbaceous plant
s, although they may also be cultured
on organic wastes.
or other Eryngium
plants (English names: 'Sea Holly' or 'Eryngo'). P. eryngii is a species complex
, and a number of varieties have been described, with differing plant associates in the carrot family (Apiaceae
).
Other specimens of P. eryngii have been reported in association with plants in the genera Ferulago, Cachrys
, Laserpitium, and Diplotaenia.
Molecular studies have shown Pleurotus nebrodensis
to be closely related to, but distinct from, P. eryngii. Pleurotus fossulatus may be another closely related species.
. Imported product is also commercially available in Australia. It is also cultivated in China, South Korea, Italy, and the United States. It has little flavor or aroma when raw. When cooked, it develops typical mushroom umami
flavors with a texture similar to that of abalone
.
Pleurotus eryngii may naturally contain chemicals that stimulate the immune system.
Mediterranean Basin
In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have a Mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers, which supports characteristic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub vegetation...
regions of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, but also grown
Fungiculture
Fungiculture is the process of producing food, medicine, and other products by the cultivation of mushrooms and other fungi.The word is also commonly used to refer to the practice of cultivating fungi by leafcutter ants, termites, ambrosia beetles, and marsh periwinkles.- Introduction :Mushrooms...
in parts of Asia.
In Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
it is called cardoncello; in Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, it is called xìng bào gū (杏鮑菇, lit. "almond abalone mushroom"), cì qín gū (刺芹菇, lit. "stab celery mushroom"), or cì qín cè ěr (刺芹側耳, lit. "stab celery side ear"); in Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, it is called eringi (katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
: エリンギ).
Description
P. eryngii is the largest species in the oyster mushroomOyster mushroom
Pleurotus ostreatus, the oyster mushroom, is a common edible mushroom. It was first cultivated in Germany as a subsistence measure during World War I and is now grown commercially around the world for food. However, the first documented cultivation was by Kaufert There is some question about the...
genus, Pleurotus
Pleurotus
Pleurotus is a genus of gilled mushrooms which includes one of the most widely eaten mushrooms, P. ostreatus. Species of Pleurotus may be called oyster, abalone, or tree mushrooms, and are some of the most commonly cultivated edible mushrooms in the world...
, which also contains the oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus. It has a thick, meaty white stem and a small tan cap (in young specimens). Its natural range extends from the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
through the Mediterranean Basin
Mediterranean Basin
In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have a Mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers, which supports characteristic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub vegetation...
and Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
into Western Asia and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Unlike other species of Pleurotus, which are wood-decay fungi
Wood-decay fungus
A wood-decay fungus is a variety of fungus that digests moist wood, causing it to rot. Some wood-decay fungi attack dead wood, such as brown rot, and some, such as Armillaria , are parasitic and colonize living trees. Fungi that not only grow on wood but actually cause it to decay, are called...
, the P. eryngii complex are weak parasites on the roots of herbaceous plant
Herbaceous plant
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
s, although they may also be cultured
Fungiculture
Fungiculture is the process of producing food, medicine, and other products by the cultivation of mushrooms and other fungi.The word is also commonly used to refer to the practice of cultivating fungi by leafcutter ants, termites, ambrosia beetles, and marsh periwinkles.- Introduction :Mushrooms...
on organic wastes.
Taxonomy
Its species name is derived from the fact that it grows in association with the roots of Eryngium campestreEryngium campestre
Eryngium campestre is a species of Eryngium, which is used medicinally. A member of the Apiaceae family, Eryngo is a hairless, thorny perennial. The leaves are tough and stiff, whitish-green...
or other Eryngium
Eryngium
Eryngium is a genus in the family Apiaceae of about 230 species of annuals and perennials with hairless and usually spiny leaves, and dome-shaped umbels of flowers resembling those of thistles. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, with the centre of diversity in South America. Some species...
plants (English names: 'Sea Holly' or 'Eryngo'). P. eryngii is a species complex
Species complex
A species complex is a group of closely related species, where the exact demarcation between species is often unclear or cryptic owing to their recent and usually still incomplete reproductive isolation. Ring species, superspecies and cryptic species complex are example of species complex...
, and a number of varieties have been described, with differing plant associates in the carrot family (Apiaceae
Apiaceae
The Apiaceae , commonly known as carrot or parsley family, is a group of mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems. The family is large, with more than 3,700 species spread across 434 genera, it is the sixteenth largest family of flowering plants...
).
- P. eryngii var. eryngii (DC.) Quél 1872 - associated with Eryngium ssp.
- P. eryngii var. ferulae (Lanzi) Sacc. 1887 - associated with Ferula communisFerula communisFerula communis is a species of the Apiaceae genus Ferula. Despite the name, the plant is not a type of fennel proper, which belongs to another genus ....
- P. eryngii var. tingitanus Lewinsohn 2002 - associated with Ferula tingitanaFerula tingitanaFerula tingitana is a species of the Apiaceae genus Ferula. Despite the name, the plant is not a type of fennel proper, which belongs to another genus .Ferula tingitana is a tall perennial herb...
- P. eryngii var. elaeoselini Venturella, Zervakis & La Rocca 2000 - associated with Elaeoselinium asclepium
- P. eryngii var. thapsiae Venturella, Zervakis & Saitta 2002 - associated with Thapsia garganica
Other specimens of P. eryngii have been reported in association with plants in the genera Ferulago, Cachrys
Cachrys
Cachrys is a genus of flowering plant in the Apiaceae, with 3 or 4 species. It is endemic to southern Europe and northern Africa....
, Laserpitium, and Diplotaenia.
Molecular studies have shown Pleurotus nebrodensis
Pleurotus nebrodensis
Pleurotus nebrodensis, commonly known as Funcia di basilicu is a fungus that was declared by the IUCN as critically endangered in 2006. This fungus only grows on limestone in northern Sicily in association with Cachrys ferulacea...
to be closely related to, but distinct from, P. eryngii. Pleurotus fossulatus may be another closely related species.
Uses
The mushroom has a good shelf life. An effective cultivation method was introduced to Japan around 1993 and has become popular there in a variety of dishes, and is now cultivated and sold commercially in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Imported product is also commercially available in Australia. It is also cultivated in China, South Korea, Italy, and the United States. It has little flavor or aroma when raw. When cooked, it develops typical mushroom umami
Umami
Umami , popularly referred to as savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes together with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.-Etymology:Umami is a loanword from the Japanese meaning "pleasant savory taste". This particular writing was chosen by Professor Kikunae Ikeda from umai "delicious" and mi ...
flavors with a texture similar to that of abalone
Abalone
Abalone , from aulón, are small to very large-sized edible sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae and the genus Haliotis...
.
Pleurotus eryngii may naturally contain chemicals that stimulate the immune system.