Species details
Scaly knight
Tricholoma vaccinum
Conditional / expert preparation
Photo: Holger Krisp · CC BY 3.0 · Photo source · License
Description
A reddish-brown dry Tricholoma with a coarsely fibrous-scaly cap, whitish gills, and flesh that may redden.
Identification features
The cap is 4–9 cm wide, dry, reddish-brown, and strongly fibrous-scaly. Gills are spaced and thick, initially whitish, later reddish-brown spotted. The lower stem is reddish-brown fibrous.
Identification checklist
Check the distinctly shaggy reddish-brown cap, spaced thick gills, reddish-brown fibrous lower stem, and conifer habitat.
Detailed features
- Cap
- The cap is 4–9 cm wide, dry, reddish-brown, and strongly fibrous-scaly.
- Hymenophore
- Gills are spaced and thick, initially whitish, later reddish-brown spotted.
- Stem
- The lower stem is reddish-brown fibrous.
- Smell
- Faint mealy smell.
- Spore print
- White.
Size
- Cap diameter
- 4–9 cm
- Stem height
- 4–6 cm
- Stem diameter
- 0,8–2 cm
Habitat
Mycorrhizal mainly with spruce and other conifers, growing in groups from late summer to late autumn.
Fruiting period
August, September, October, November
Ecology
- Trophic mode
- Mycorrhizal
- Host trees
- Spruce (Picea)
- Substrate
- Forest soil
- Notes
- Mycorrhizal mainly with spruce and other conifers, growing in groups from late summer to late autumn.
How to separate similar species
Tricholoma imbricatum is more finely scaled and its flesh usually does not redden. Other brown Tricholoma can be poisonous.
Similar species
Interesting facts
Did you know? Check the distinctly shaggy reddish-brown cap, spaced thick gills, reddish-brown fibrous lower stem, and conifer habitat.