How to tell Grey knight from Tiger tricholoma

Cap 3-8 cm across, when young distinctly conical or bell-shaped, becoming with age flat-conical with a low, broad central bump. The skin is finely fibrous-felty — like a mouse's fur, gray to dark gray, mouse-colored, with a darker center and paler margins. Old fruiting bodies have fine radial cracks. The margin is even and thin, and may be slightly wavy in damp conditions.

The cap is 8-15 cm across (sometimes up to 20 cm), very fleshy, heavy; when young it is hemispherical with an inrolled margin, with age becoming broadly convex, flat and spread out. The skin is matte, with distinct dark gray scales on a grayish-white background — a characteristic "leopard" pattern of concentric rows of scales, especially noticeable at the center. The background color is grayish white to pale ash gray, the scales are dark gray to blackish gray. The margin is even, slightly wavy in old specimens.

Gilled hymenophore — the gills are notched (sinuate) where they attach to the stem, moderately crowded, thin, the gill flesh brittle. Color: whitish to grayish-white, turning gray with a faint yellowish tinge with age. Spore print white.

Lamellate hymenophore: the gills are notched (emarginate) at the stem, moderately crowded, very fleshy, thick. Color: white to creamy white, with no yellowish tint — this is the key difference from the edible T. portentosum. Spore print white.

Stem 3-7 cm tall, 0.7-1.5 cm thick, cylindrical, firm when young, hollow when old. Color: white to grayish-white, with no noticeable spots. Surface smooth with fine lengthwise fibers. No ring.

The stem is 6-12 cm tall, 2-4 cm thick, very fleshy, cylindrical, thickening toward the base, with a slight bulbous swelling in old specimens. Color: white to grayish white, often with ochre-brown spots or dots in the lower part. Surface: smooth, with lengthwise fibers in the lower third. No ring.

Flesh thin, brittle, white in the cap, grayish-white in the stem. Does not change color when cut. Smell faintly mealy or with a fresh cucumber note, taste mild, no bitterness.

The flesh is very firm, fleshy, white to cream, does not change color when cut (does not turn pink or darken). Smell: distinctly mealy; taste mild at first, then bitterish and astringent — but the taste is no warning sign: you can eat this mushroom without noticing any bitterness.

Faintly mealy-cucumber, neutral, with no sharp notes.

A distinct mealy smell, as in many knights — is NOT a warning sign!