Tricholoma? (One for ID Help Please)

[Lancashire Lad]

Found last Saturday, growing on a steep wooded bank beside a reservoir pathway.

Trees in the immediate vicinity were predominantly Spruce & Larch, but with a couple of small Beech & Birch also nearby.

Fruitbodies growing directly from leaf litter/soil.

Caps to approx. 150mm across, stipes to approx. 200mm in length.

Stipes "stuffed", becoming mostly hollow in older fruitbodies.

Young fruitbodies clay grey in colour, no particular smell. Old fruitbodies turning brown, with gills going rust brown overall. (But probably more from rotting off than a specific ID characteristic).

They seem to have a general "Tricholoma" sort of appearance, but if so would be one that I certainly haven't found previously.



Any suggestions towards ID would be much appreciated.

Regards,
Mike.

[Ditiola]

Mike
Yes they do look Tricholoma'ish however, there are o lot of Tricholoma's so would not like to make a guess at the species.

Peter

[Ditiola]

Mike
I do not know if you subscribe to 'Field Mycology' but in the new eddition (arrived today) there are keys to 67 species.

Peter

[mollisia]

Hello,

I'd say Tricholoma too. But a species with that appearance occuring with spruce, larix, birch is not known to me. Are you sure there was no pine around? If there was one, I would say it is T. stans. If there was none, I have no idea.

best regards,
Andreas

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by Ditiola

Mike
I do not know if you subscribe to 'Field Mycology' but in the new eddition (arrived today) there are keys to 67 species.

Peter

Thanks Peter. - I don't (yet ) subscribe to Field Mycology. But most of the keys rely on microscopy, and being without that facility, I would still only be able to go on macro characteristics. (I very much accept that without microscopy, many of my finds will be impossible to identify to species).

Originally Posted by mollisia

Hello,

I'd say Tricholoma too. But a species with that appearance occuring with spruce, larix, birch is not known to me. Are you sure there was no pine around? If there was one, I would say it is T. stans. If there was none, I have no idea.

best regards,
Andreas

Thanks Andreas, - There may have been the odd pine around, as there are certainly pines on the plantation, but I didn't notice any when noting the habitat of the find.

I've just looked on FRDBI which only gives 19 records for T.stans. Most of the records state with Pine, but one does state with Picea. (One other just mentions with conifers, and two just with soil).

I have to agree that comparing online photos, my find does have the general appearance of T.stans, but the records indicate it as being on the red data list, and it certainly seems quite rare in Britain.

I would like to think that my find was indeed T.stans, but as with many more such finds, without the microscopy, I accept that genus will have to suffice.

I am grateful for both of your replies though, as at least I can be confident with my initial assessment of Tricholoma sp.

Best regards,
Mike.

[mollisia]

Hello Mike,

the microscope is in many cases a godd help and often indispensible, but in Tricholoma there are not too many cases where you realy need it. The brown Tricholomas don't belong to those cases. Means, you can't do anything with the microscope there.
Tricholoma stans and Tricholoma striatum have in earlier days been united under the name Tricholoma albobrunneum. The separation lies not too long ago, may be that's why you have only few records with the name "stans". Surely there have been more named "albobrunneum", but may be the old data couldn't be put to stans or striatum.

best regards,
Andreas

[Lancashire Lad]

Hi Andreas,

According to FRDBI, T.albobrunneum has 141 records in Britain, but the paragraph below would appear to cast doubt on the validity of many: -

QUOTE
Tricholoma albobrunneum (Pers.) P. Kumm., Führ. Pilzk.: 130 (1871)

Tricholoma striatum sensu auct. mult.
Agaricus albobrunneus Pers., Syn. meth. fung. 2: 293 (1801)

Notes: Not authentically British. Reported on numerous occasions and apparently 'widespread' but recent reports are sparse.Virtually all records are unsubstantiated with voucher material, and the species is easily confused with similar taxa. Sensu auct. Brit. is a mixture of T. ustale and T. ustaloides.
UNQUOTE

Of T.striatum, it says: -

QUOTE
Tricholoma striatum (Schaeff.) Sacc., Fl. Ital. Cryptog. 1.1: 18 (1915)

Agaricus striatus Schaeff., Fung. Bavar. Palat. 1: 38 (1762)

Notes: A nomen dubium lacking type material, but accepted as a good species by some authorities. Sensu auct. mult. is Tricholoma albobrunneum.
UNQUOTE

Regards,
Mike.