Is Widely Cultivated Pleurotus sajor-caju, Especially in Asia, Indeed an Independent Species?

In modern mycology, the name Pleurotus sajor-caju has 2 meanings: a strict taxonomical meaning refers to its nomenclatural synonym Lentinus sajor-caju, and a more widely distributed biotechnological meaning refers to a strain determined as Pleurotus sajor-caju but that belongs to true Pleurotus. The main purpose of this article is to highlight the taxonomic status and to give the correct name for this problematic member of Pleurotus. Both microscopic analysis and BLAST search results (internal transcribed spacer homology varies between 97% and 100%) provide the position of the fungus in question into the range of infraspecific radiation of P. pulmonarius. It was shown that the fungus represents a tropical ecotype of P. pulmonarius, and a new variety (P. pulmonarius var. stechangii) was described for its taxonomic representation. This variety was named in honor of Professor S.-T. Chang, a great mycologist who introduced this taxon to the mushroom industry. A formal change in the anamorphic name of the fungus in question is provided, too, and a new name is presented: Antromycopsis stechangii.