Reinstated as Lentinellus crawfordii G.Stev. by Segedin et al. (1995) following the recognition that the type is a mixed collection of two species, one a Lentinellus sp., answering to Stevenson's description of L. crawfordii, and the other a species of Pleurotus, P. purpureo-olivaceus (G.Stev.) Segedin et al. Lentinellus crawfordii is described in full below.

The Stevenson collection consists of many small pieces which are apparently the shattered remains of two basidiomata. Two lateral stipes are recognisable, one paler than the other. All fragments have a dark-coloured pileal surface but some have grey lamellae which are concolorous with the lamellae on the pale stipe while the others have dark reddish brown lamellae matching the lamellae on the dark reddish brown stipe. The reddish brown fragments show the characters of Lentinellus, agreeing with Stevenson's description and illustration of L. crawfordii. The grey fragments show the characters of Pleurotus and match well with those of Pleurotus purpureo-olivaceus (G.Stev.) (Segedin et al. 1995). The latter is evidently the part of the collection studied by Miller & Stewart (1971) for which they made the superfluous combination Pleurotus crawfordii (G.Stev.) O.K.Mill. & L.Stewart, whereas the reddish brown fragments are from the basidioma originally described by Stevenson as L. crawfordii.