''Sarcomyxa serotina'' is a species of fungus in the family Sarcomyxaceae. Its recommended English name in the UK is olive oysterling. In North America it is known as late fall oyster. Fruit bodies grow as greenish, overlapping fan- or oyster-shaped caps on the wood of both coniferous and deciduous trees. The gills on the underside are closely spaced, bright orange yellow, and have an adnate attachment to the stipe. It produces a yellow spore print;

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...

s are smooth, amyloid, and measure 4–6 by 1–2

µm The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...

. The species is considered to be either edible or inedible, with the taste ranging from mild to bitter. Research has revealed that two separate species exist, ''Sarcomyxa serotina'' and ''

Sarcomyxa edulis ''Sarcomyxa edulis'' is a species of fungus in the family Sarcomyxaceae. Fruit bodies grow as ochraceous to ochraceous-brown, overlapping fan- or oyster-shaped caps on the wood of deciduous trees. The gills on the underside are closely space ...

'' (unknown in Europe). The latter is cultivated for food in China and Japan.

References

Fungi described in 1793 Fungi of Asia Fungi of Europe Fungi of North America {{Agaricales-stub