Species details

Scaly knight

Tricholoma vaccinum

Conditional / expert preparation
Scaly knight – Tricholoma vaccinum

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.

How to separate similar species

Tricholoma imbricatum is more finely scaled and its flesh usually does not redden. Other brown Tricholoma can be poisonous.

Habitat

Mycorrhizal mainly with spruce and other conifers, growing in groups from late summer to late autumn.

Fruiting period

August, September, October, November

Similar species

Extended-description sources