Charbonnier or Giant knight

Cap 5-12 cm across, when young bell-shaped or convex-conical, becoming with age flat-convex with a low, broad bump in the center. The skin is smooth, slightly slimy in wet weather, dry and matte in dry weather. Color: gray-violet, gray-greenish, olive-gray, darker in the center, with distinct fine dark radial fibrous streaks — a diagnostic feature. The margin is even, slightly wavy in old caps, inrolled in young ones.

Cap 15-25 cm across (in exceptional cases up to 30 cm), very meaty, firm. In young specimens convex-globular with an inrolled margin, becoming with age cushion-convex, with a slightly wavy margin. The cap skin is smooth, matte and dry when young, slightly shiny when mature. Color: flesh-pink to brownish-pink, brown-pink, darker ochre-chestnut in the center, paler toward the margin. In old fruit bodies it becomes brown-chestnut.

Gilled hymenophore — the gills are notched (sinuate) where they attach to the stem, moderately crowded, fleshy. When young they are whitish with a faint yellowish tinge, becoming with age creamy-yellowish, especially toward the edge. The yellowish tone of the gills is a diagnostic feature. Spore print white.

Gilled hymenophore — the gills are notched-attached to the stem, crowded, fleshy. When young they are whitish, becoming with age cream-pink to flesh-pink. Spore print white.

Stem 5-10 cm tall, 1.5-2.5 cm thick, firm, fleshy, cylindrical. Color: whitish with a characteristic yellowish tinge, especially toward the base. Surface smooth with fine lengthwise fibers. No ring.

Stem 8-15 cm tall, 3-5 cm thick, very sturdy, meaty, cylindrical, thickening toward the base, in older specimens with a small bulbous swelling at the base. Color: whitish in the upper part, brownish-pink below, matching the cap color. Surface smooth, with lengthwise fibers. No ring.

Flesh firm, white in the cap, white with a yellowish tinge in the stem. Does not change color when cut — it does not turn pink (unlike T. saponaceum) and does not darken. Smell distinctly mealy-cucumber, taste mild, pleasantly mushroomy with a hint of flour, no bitterness.

Flesh firm, meaty, white, where cut it slowly turns pinkish (in some fruit bodies) — a weak reaction. Smell pronounced, pleasant and mushroomy with a note of flour, taste mild, pleasant, with no bitterness.

A distinct, pleasant mealy-cucumber smell — like freshly ground flour with a note of fresh cucumbers. A diagnostic feature, clear when you cut it.

A pronounced, pleasant mushroomy-mealy smell, like many good-quality knights.