Tricholoma virgatum - Ashen Knight

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

One of the more common of the many greyish Tricholoma species, the Ashen Knight is an easy-to-miss mushroom. It is mycorrhizal mainly with conifers on acid soil, where it usually occurs in small groups.

Grey Tricholoma mushrooms are many and not very varied. One feature that helps to distinguish this mushroom from some of its lookalikes is the colour of the gills: they are very light grey (almost white) at first, darkening gradually as the fruitbody matures.

Identification Guide

	Cap Grey, often with a hint of violet, and with darker radial fibrils or very fine scales; conical then bell-shaped, sometimes flattening with a broad umbo with a conical pip at the centre; margin slightly incurved; dry and silky; 4 to 9cm across. Gills Very pale grey, darkening with age; crowded; sinuate. Stem White or pale grey; smooth, cylindrical or slightly clavate; 4 to 10cm long, 1 to 1.8cm dia.; no ring.
Spore print	White.
Odour/taste	Odour of radish; taste hot and peppery.
Habitat	Ectomycorrhizal with conifers, usually on acidic soil.
Season	Summer and autumn.
Occurrence	Fairly common and widespread.
Similar species	Tricholoma terreum occurs under deciduous trees on alkaline soil; it is almost odourless.