Tricholoma saponaceum
Encyclopedia
Tricholoma saponaceum, also known as the soap-scented toadstool, soapy knight or soap tricholoma is an inedible mushroom found in woodlands in Europe
and North America.
and given the name Agaricus saponaceus, before being placed in the genus Tricholoma by German mycologist Paul Kummer
in 1871. The specific epithet saponaceum is derived from the Latin
'of or pertaining to soap
'. Its names in other European languages, such as French Tricolome à odeur de savon, and German Seifenritterling have a similar derivation to its English names-soap-scented toadstool, soapy knight or soap tricholoma—all relating to its soapy scent.
Tricholoma saponaceum is yet another fungus which may represent a species complex of two or more species. The variety ardosiacum, described by Italian mycologist Giacomo Bresadola
, has a dark blue-grey cap.
with a vague umbo up to 9 or across, which flattens with age. The colour is highly variable, with greyish, greenish, olive, yellowish and brownish shades reported. The cap is paler at the margin and fades with age. The widely spaced gills are adnexed and whitish, although may be tinted pale green and bruise pink. The stipe
lacks a ring and can be swollen in its midriff, and measure 4 – tall by 1 – wide. A key distinguishing feature in the western United States is a orange-pink colour at the stipe's base. The spore print
is white, and the oval smooth spores measure 5-6 x 3-4 μm. The odour is distinctive and has been likened to newly-scrubbed floors or soap.
Its gills may lead it to being confused with Hygrophorus
species.
woodlands (more commonly the former in North America) from late summer to late autumn. Spruce, live oak, tanoak, and madrone are species it can be associated with in the western United States. It is associated with oak in Central and southern Europe.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North America.
Taxonomy
Tricholoma saponaceum was first described in 1818 by the father of mycology Elias Magnus FriesElias Magnus Fries
-External links:*, Authors of fungal names, Mushroom, the Journal of Wild Mushrooming.*...
and given the name Agaricus saponaceus, before being placed in the genus Tricholoma by German mycologist Paul Kummer
Paul Kummer
Paul Kummer was a priest, teacher, and scientist in Zerbst, Germany, known chiefly for his contribution to mycological nomenclature. Earlier classification of agarics by pioneering fungal taxonomist Elias Magnus Fries designated only a very small number of genera, with most species falling into...
in 1871. The specific epithet saponaceum is derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
'of or pertaining to soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
'. Its names in other European languages, such as French Tricolome à odeur de savon, and German Seifenritterling have a similar derivation to its English names-soap-scented toadstool, soapy knight or soap tricholoma—all relating to its soapy scent.
Tricholoma saponaceum is yet another fungus which may represent a species complex of two or more species. The variety ardosiacum, described by Italian mycologist Giacomo Bresadola
Giacomo Bresadola
Giacomo Bresadola 14 February 1847 – Trento 9 June 1929) was an eminent Italian mycologist. Fungi he named include the deadly Lepiota helveola and Inocybe patouillardii, though the latter is now known as Inocybe erubescens as this latter description predated Bresadola's by a year...
, has a dark blue-grey cap.
Description
Tricholoma saponaceum has a convex capPileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
with a vague umbo up to 9 or across, which flattens with age. The colour is highly variable, with greyish, greenish, olive, yellowish and brownish shades reported. The cap is paler at the margin and fades with age. The widely spaced gills are adnexed and whitish, although may be tinted pale green and bruise pink. The stipe
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
lacks a ring and can be swollen in its midriff, and measure 4 – tall by 1 – wide. A key distinguishing feature in the western United States is a orange-pink colour at the stipe's base. The spore print
Spore print
thumb|300px|right|Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print...
is white, and the oval smooth spores measure 5-6 x 3-4 μm. The odour is distinctive and has been likened to newly-scrubbed floors or soap.
Its gills may lead it to being confused with Hygrophorus
Hygrophorus
Hygrophorus is a genus of agarics in the family Hygrophoraceae. Called "woodwaxes" in the UK or "waxy caps" in North America, basidiocarps are typically fleshy, often with slimy caps and lamellae that are broadly attached to decurrent...
species.
Distribution and habitat
Tricholoma saponaceum is a terrestrial mushroom found in Europe and North America. It is abundant in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains. It is found in coniferous and deciduousDeciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
woodlands (more commonly the former in North America) from late summer to late autumn. Spruce, live oak, tanoak, and madrone are species it can be associated with in the western United States. It is associated with oak in Central and southern Europe.