Tricholoma atrosquamosum
What You Should Know
Tricholoma atrosquamosum is an edible gilled mushroom native to Europe. The gray-capped fruit bodies are generally found singly or in small groups in deciduous woodland on chalk-based soils.
This mushroom is quite similar to the popular Tricholoma terreum. Both species are edible, therefore the mix-up shouldn’t be a concern. Herewith the differences: Tricholoma atrosquamosum is a little bigger, its cap fades from grey dark on the center to whitish on the peripheria and a lot of minute dark grey scales, 0,5 mm size, cover the cap and discover the white beneath. Also, the stipe is grey with scales in contrast with the white grills. Tricholoma atrosquamosum smells pepper.
Other names: Ark-scaled Knight.
Tricholoma atrosquamosum Mushroom Identification
Cap
The cap is 4–10 cm (1.5–4 in) wide and covered with dark gray-brown scales. Young specimens have more conical caps which become convex to flat with maturity. It is generally darker than other gray-capped tricholomas.
Stem
The stout stem is 2.5–8 cm (0.98–3.15 in) high and 0.7–2 cm (0.28–0.79 in) wide and has no ring. It is gray with tiny blackish scales either all over or restricted to the apex. The base of the stem can be tinged greenish or pinkish and becomes reddish upon drying.
Gills
The pale gray-brown gills are adnate or free (unattached to the stem).
Odor and Taste
The mushroom has a mealy smell and taste, though there can be a fruity, peppery, or spicy edge to the former.
Spores
Ellipsoidal, smooth, 6-8 x 3.5-6μm; inamyloid.
Spore Print
White.
Similar Species
Tricholoma terreum and several other grayish knights could be mistaken for the Dark Scaled Knight if not examined very carefully.
Tricholoma atrosquamosum Taxonomy
Tricholoma atrosquamosum was described 1837 by French naturalist François Fulgis Chevallier as Agaricus atrosquamosus. It has also been classified as a subspecies of the related T. terreum by George Edward Massee. It lies within the section Terrea within the subgenus Tricholoma within the genus Tricholoma. Two varieties are recognized, var. atrosquamosum is generally a larger mushroom and squarrulosum is smaller. Tricholoma atrosquamosum is commonly known as the dark-scaled knight.
Tricholoma atrosquamosum Synonyms
Agaricus atrosquamosus Chevall. (1837)
Tricholoma terreum var. atrosquamosum (Chevall.) Massee (1893)
Tricholoma nigromarginatum Bres. (1926)
Sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Zaca (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported)
Photo 2 - Author: Jerzy Opioła (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported)
Photo 3 - Author: Jerzy Opioła (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported)