Today we are going to talk about a species of mushroom that is quite recognized and collected by mushroom fans. It's about the Tricholoma terreum. It is one of the types of mushroom that belong to this group and that from the smallest. I have considered a good edible so it is in demand during mushroom harvesting seasons.
Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you all the characteristics, habitat and possible confusions of the tricholoma terreum.
Key features
Hat and foils
It is a species of mushroom belonging to the Tricholomas group that is smaller than normal. It has a hat that is only 2 to 7 cm in diameter and has a convex shape when young. As the individual develops and acquires its adult stage, it has a flattened shape with a soft mamelon. This mamelon sometimes disappears during the maturity stage.
The cuticle is easily detachable from the hat and has a dark gray color quite characteristic of this species. When the mushroom becomes an adult it can have the central part of the hat with a darker color. When we see the mushroom in its entirety we can see that it has a felted and silky appearance. It contains some small radial and fibrous flakes in the part of the hat. When we see the whole of the cuticle in general it can be compared with the appearance of the skin of the field mice.
Thanks to this resemblance to the shop mice, this mushroom has been nicknamed a common name for mousetrap. The margin of the hat is uniform and completely whole. It is usually somewhat curved when it reaches adulthood and becomes lighter in color. Its blades are low-cut and wide. They are separated from each other and have quite fragile lamélulas. When they are young they are the same but when they reach adulthood they end up being unequal since their fragility increases.
They are not too close together and are tin white when young. They evolve to a lighter grayish color with age. They have edges of the same whitish color and have a finely denticulate texture.
Pie and meat
As for the foot, it has a cylindrical and proportionate appearance with respect to the size of the hat. It has a central position and is not usually curved. It is quite a delegate foot and has longitudinal flakes that are not easily appreciated. These flakes can serve as a difference with respect to other species that can be assimilated to the Tricholoma terreum. The color of the foot it is light grayish white like the blades. We found it somewhat furfuraceous at the apex.
Lastly, the meat has a white and somewhat grayish color. It hardly has too much meat even though it is considered a good edible. It is quite a fragile and delicate meat, so you have to know how long it takes in the kitchen so that it does not fit easily into pieces. It has a sweet taste reminiscent of walnut and a mildly mealy smell.
Habitat of the tricholoma terreum
This mushroom is quite abundant as we said at the beginning. They usually appear in witch groups with many copies. The time of growth and development is in the fall and early winter. This is due to the fact that they withstand frost well like other specimens of the same group. The habitat of tricholoma terreum es the coniferous forest.
It is considered a very good edible so it is demanded by those mushroom pickers. In addition, it has a rewarding collection since, being very small, they usually come out in numerous copies together. Its flavor is very particular and different from other Tricholomas.
As we have mentioned before, its meat is very fragile. Therefore, care must be taken when collecting and preserving the mushroom properly so that it does not spoil when consumed.
Main confusions of the tricholoma terreum
When there are numerous species within the same group of mushrooms, there are usually different confusions since there are great similarities. Sometimes these confusions can lead us to collect poisonous specimens that can cause damage to the body. In some cases it can lead to death. Therefore, it is essential to know very well the differences between some species and go to the field to check it. This is how mushroom experts have achieved all that recognition capacity.
To avoid possible confusion when collecting this mushroom, we are going to analyze the main confusion:
- Tricholoma virgatum: their main difference is that they are larger. If we have highlighted something several times, it is that the tricholoma terreum It is much smaller in size than other Tricholomas. In addition, it has the most conical and pointed hat shape with a silver color. It is rare that it becomes flat when it reaches maturity and keeps the mamelon sharp. The foot is quite long with respect to the hat, while the tricholoma terreum it has a fairly short foot. The slices are also tighter and their taste is bitter. Be careful with the confusion of this mushroom as it is toxic and can cause gastrointestinal problems.
- Tricholoma pardinum: it is larger in size and less brittle. It has radial scales with a larger size and a light brownish gray color. The margin is convex and has a rolled edge. It is toxic so care must be taken when collecting.
- Tricholoma scooides: It is a mushroom that has the hat with more obvious flakes and the edges of the blades are blackish. They appear under the plains and not the conifers. This species is toxic.
- Tricholoma portentosum: this mushroom is larger and with much more meat. It has some yellowish tones on the foot and you should not be too careful when it comes to getting confused as it is a very good edible. They are usually collected together.
As you can see, it is interesting to know the shape of the mushroom and the main characteristics to avoid possible confusion. I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Tricholoma terreum.