Tricholoma

Tricholoma is a genus of fungus that contains many fairly fleshy white-spored gilled mushrooms which are found worldwide generally growing in woodlands. These are ectomycorrhizal fungi, existing in a symbiotic relationship with various species of coniferous or broad-leaved trees. The generic name derives from Ancient Greek: τριχο-, romanized: tricho-, lit. 'hair' and Ancient Greek: λῶμα, romanized: loma, lit. 'fringe, border' although only a few species (such as T. vaccinum) have shaggy caps which fit this description. The most sought-out species are the East Asian T. matsutake, also known as matsutake or songi, and the North American Tricholoma magnivelare species complex, also known as "ponderosa mushroom", "American matsutake", or "pine mushroom". Others are safe to eat, such as T. terreum, but there are a few poisonous members, such as T. pardinum, T. tigrinum and T. equestre. Many species originally described within Tricholoma have since been moved to other genera. These include the Wood blewit (Clitocybe nuda), previously T. nudum, blewit (Clitocybe saeva), previously T. personatum, and St George's mushroom (Calocybe gambosa) previously T. gambosum. Tricholomalides are neurotrophic diterpenoids isolated from species of Tricholoma.