Species details

Red-base knight

Tricholoma basirubens

Conditional / expert preparation
Red-base knight – Tricholoma basirubens

Photo: James Baker (cepecity) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo source · License

Description

A grey scaly Tricholoma with a stout stem whose base is characteristically pink to reddish; rare.

Identification features

The cap is up to about 7 cm, grey with radially arranged dark scales. Gills are white to greyish. The stout stem is whitish above and pink, reddish or violet at the base.

Identification checklist

The key feature is the reddish to pink base of the stout stem together with the grey scaly cap. Inspect the entire stem.

Detailed features

Cap
The cap is up to about 7 cm, grey with radially arranged dark scales.
Hymenophore
Gills are white to greyish.
Stem
The stout stem is whitish above and pink, reddish or violet at the base.

Size

Cap diameter
≤ 7 cm

Habitat

Grows in deciduous and coniferous woodland, especially with beech, oak, fir, spruce or pine, in autumn; rare.

Fruiting period

September, October, November

Ecology

Host trees
Spruce (Picea), Beech (Fagus), Oak (Quercus), Pine (Pinus), Fir (Abies)
Notes
Grows in deciduous and coniferous woodland, especially with beech, oak, fir, spruce or pine, in autumn; rare.

How to separate similar species

Grey Tricholoma include poisonous T. pardinum. Because separation is difficult, do not use for food without expert confirmation.

Similar species

Extended-description sources