Tricholoma cingulatum

Description

Tricholoma cingulatum is a mushroom of the agaric genus Tricholoma. It has a gray-brown cap with a distinct ring on the stem. Microscopically, it is unusual in having narrow oval spores, whereas most fungi in this genus have broader oval spores. This mycorrhizal mushroom is found with various kinds of willows, including Dwarf Willow in the slacks on some sand-dune systems.

Tricholoma cingulatum is recorded as edible in many field guides, but care is necessary to avoid confusion with any of the slightly poisonous grayish Tricholoma species that can cause stomach upsets.

Common names: Girdled Knight, Belted Trich, Girdled Trich, Girdled Tricholoma.

Mushroom Identification

1. Cap

   Convex at first, expanding with a slight umbo; a pale grey or gray-brown, covered in fine gray-brown felty scales; initially roundish but often becoming irregular with a slightly wavy margin when mature; 3.5 to 6cm across.

2. Gills

   White, emarginate; moderately spaced.

3. Stem

   Whitish with a woolly or cottony ring; cylindrical; 5 to 8cm long, 8 to 12mm diameter.

4. Spores

   Ellipsoidal, smooth, 5-6 x 2.5-3.5µm; inamyloid.

5. Spore Print

   White.

6. Odor and Taste

   Taste and smell slightly mealy.

7. Habitat & Ecological Role

   Mycorrhizal, nearly always found with willows; sometimes in dune slacks with Dwarf Willow.

8. Similar Species

   Tricholoma sciodes is similar but does not have a stem ring.

History

The basionym of this species dates from an 1830 publication in Linnaea by Elias Magnus Fries wherein Amfelt's binomial scientific name for this species was recorded as Agaricus cingulatus.

The currently-accepted scientific name Tricholoma cingulatum dates from an 1890 publication, wherein E. Jacobashch transferred this species to its present genus.

Synonyms of Tricholoma cingulatum include Tricholoma ramentaceum, Armillaria cingulata (Almfelt) Quél. and Agaricus cingulatus Almfelt ex Fr.

The generic name Tricholoma means 'with hairs on the edge', which refers to the rim of the mushroom and is true of only a tiny minority of species (the knights) in the Tricholoma genus.

The specific epithet cingulatum means 'with a girdle, belt or collar'.

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: MK-fotky (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic)

Photo 2 - Author: MK-fotky (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic)