Tricholoma terreum
| Tricholoma terreum | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Tricholomataceae |
| Genus: | Tricholoma |
| Species: | T. terreum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Tricholoma terreum | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Tricholoma terreum | |
|---|---|
 | Gills on hymenium |
 | Cap is convex or flat |
 | Hymenium is adnexed |
 | Stipe is bare |
 | Spore print is white to cream |
 | Ecology is mycorrhizal |
 | Edibility is edible |
Tricholoma terreum, commonly known as the grey knight or dirty tricholoma, is a grey-capped mushroom of the large genus Tricholoma. It is found in coniferous woodlands in Europe and North America, and has also been encountered under introduced pine trees in Australia and New Zealand. It is regarded as edible, but is toxic in extremely high quantities.
Taxonomy
[edit]The fungus was originally described as Agaricus terreus by Jacob Christian Schäffer in 1762, and as Agaricus myomyces by mycologist Christian Hendrik Persoon in 1794. It was given its current binomial name by German Paul Kummer in 1871. It is commonly known as the grey knight[1] from its discoloured gills.[2]
Almost all modern sources consider Tricholoma myomyces to be a synonym of T. terreum,[3][4][5] but there are some exceptions.[6] Bon mentions that T. myomyces has been defined for lowland mushrooms with white gills and a fleecy cap and Courtecuisse separates it on the same basis.[7][8] Moser distinguished T. myomyces on the basis that the gills should go yellow.[9]
Description
[edit]The cap is 4–7 centimetres (1+1⁄2–2+3⁄4 inches) wide and evenly covered in fine grey scales. Convex with a slight umbo, it is broadly conical in shape.[10] The whitish stipe is 3–8 cm (1+1⁄4–3+1⁄4 in) long and 1.5 cm (1⁄2 in) wide and has no ring. There is no ring or volva. The whitish flesh is thin, easily broken, and has a pleasant mild to farinaceous smell and taste. The gills are fairly close and adnate to adnexed.[10] The spore print is white. The oval spores are 6–7 μm long by 3.5–4.4 μm wide.[1][2]
Similar species
[edit]It could be confused with the larger (and poisonous) T. pardinum has a mealy smell and cap scales; the edible T. orirubens has fine dark scales and pinkish gills.[11]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]Tricholoma terreum is found in Europe (September–December),[12] where fruiting bodies appear under conifers, particularly pine and spruce, from late summer to late autumn.[1] It can be found in much of North America from August to December, and slightly later on the West Coast.[13] They may also arise in parks near these trees, and grow in fairy rings.[2] They are generally in quite densely populated groups though not bunched. It has been recorded growing under exotic Pinus radiata plantations in Australia.[14][15]
Edibility
[edit]With a mild taste, the species used to be widely regarded as a good edible. It is seen in markets in France, along with Clitocybe nebularis and Tricholoma portentosum.[2]
One 1970s source recommended that inexperienced pickers avoid all grey tricholomas.[16] Chemical tests published in 2014 show that the species may contain toxins which can cause rhabdomyolysis, leading to speculation that the mushroom was poisonous,[17] apparently debunked in 2016.[18] In 2018, research showed that only an abnormal quantity of Tricholoma mushrooms would trigger the rhabdomyolysis, with consumption of about 200 g safe unless there is an individual reaction.[19] A 2024 study also tested for and concluded that toxin levels were negligible enough for T. terreum for it to be considered an edible mushroom.[20]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Phillips, Roger (2006). Mushrooms. Pan MacMillan. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-330-44237-4.
- ^ a b c d Lamaison, Jean-Louis; Polese, Jean-Marie (2005). The Great Encyclopedia of Mushrooms. Könemann. p. 89. ISBN 978-3-8331-1239-3.
- ^ "Tricholoma terreum page". Species Fungorum. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
- ^ "Tricholoma terreum (Schaeff.) P. Kumm., 1871 Synonyms". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. GBIF. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
- ^ "Tricholoma terreum (Schaeff.) P. Kumm., 1871 Synonyms". Dyntaxa (in Swedish). Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
- ^ Bessette AE, Bessette AR, Trudell SA, Roody WC (2013). Tricholomas of North America: A Mushroom Field Guide. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. p. 108.
- ^ Marcel Bon (1987). The Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain and North-Western Europe. Hodder & Stoughton. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-340-39935-4.
- ^ Courtecuisse, R.; Duhem, B. (2013). Champignons de France et d'Europe (in French). Delachaux et Niestlé. p. 194. ISBN 978-2-603-02038-8. Also available in English.
- ^ Meinhard Moser (1983). Keys to Agarics and Boleti. Translated by Simon Plant. London: Roger Phillips. pp. 129–130. ISBN 978-0-9508486-0-0.
- ^ a b Arora, David (1986) [1979]. Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi (2nd ed.). Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press. p. 182. ISBN 978-0-89815-170-1.
- ^ Haas, Hans (1969). The Young Specialist looks at Fungi. Burke. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-222-79409-3.
- ^ Francis-Baker, Tiffany (2021). Concise Foraging Guide. The Wildlife Trusts. London: Bloomsbury. p. 142. ISBN 978-1-4729-8474-6.
- ^ Audubon (2023). Mushrooms of North America. Knopf. p. 495. ISBN 978-0-593-31998-7.
- ^ Grey, Ed and Pat (2006). "FNCV FUNGI GROUP FORAY: LERDEGERG RIVER WALK, JACK CANN RESERVE, BLACKWOOD, 2 July 2006" (PDF). Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne website- fungimap section. Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
- ^ Keane, Philip J.; Kile GA; Podger FD (2000). Diseases and Pathogens of Eucalypts. Canberra: CSIRO Publishing. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-643-06523-9.
- ^ Zeitlmayr, Linus (1976). Wild Mushrooms: An Illustrated Handbook. Garden City Press, Hertfordshire. pp. 72–73. ISBN 978-0-584-10324-3.
- ^ Heping Xia: Fatal toxins found in 'edible' wild mushrooms, in: Chemistry World, 16 June 2014
- ^ Paolo Davoli, Marco Floriani, Francesca Assisi, Karl Kob, Nicola Sitta: Comment on “Chemical and Toxicological Investigations of a Previously Unknown Poisonous European Mushroom Tricholoma terreum ”, in: Chemistry Europe. First published: 10 March 2016, doi:10.1002/chem.201406655
- ^ Piotr Rzymski, Piotr Klimaszyk: Is the Yellow Knight Mushroom Edible or Not? A Systematic Review and Critical Viewpoints on the Toxicity of Tricholoma equestre, Wiley online library, first published: 25 July 2018, doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12374
- ^ Clericuzio, Marco; Serra, Stefano; Vidari, Giovanni (15 April 2024). "No Evidence Was Found for the Presence of Terreolides, Terreumols or Saponaceolides H-S in the Fruiting Bodies of Tricholoma terreum (Basidiomycota, Agaricales)". Molecules. 29 (8).