How to tell Soapy knight from Tiger tricholoma

Cap 5-12 cm across, when young convex with an inrolled margin, becoming with age flattened-expanded with a small bump. The skin is smooth, slightly slimy in wet weather, dry and matte in dry weather. Color: very variable — gray-white, olive-gray, greenish-gray, brownish-gray, in some forms almost black in the center. Old fruiting bodies have small cracks.

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, fleshy. When young they are whitish, becoming with age creamy-grayish, often turning pink when damaged. 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 5-10 cm tall, 1-2.5 cm thick, firm, cylindrical, thickening toward the base when young. Color: whitish to grayish; pinkish-red spots often appear when damaged — a diagnostic feature. Surface smooth with 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 firm, white, develops pinkish-red spots when cut or pressed, especially in the lower part of the stem — a characteristic reaction and an important diagnostic. Smell distinctly soapy (laundry soap), taste soapy-bitterish, unpleasant.

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.

Distinctly soapy — reminiscent of laundry or toilet soap. A diagnostic feature, especially clear when cut and in mature fruiting bodies.

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