Gassy Knight
Tricholoma inamoenum
Tricholoma inamoenum is a mushroom of the agaric genus Tricholoma found through the Northern Hemisphere, particularly under conifers. It is poisonous, and is characterized by an unpleasant odor resembling coal gas or tar.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricholoma_inamoenum
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Basidiomycota
Class
Agaricomycetes
Order
Agaricales
Family
Tricholomataceae
Genus
Tricholoma
Gassy Knight belongs to the family Tricholomataceae, order Agaricales, within the Agaricomycetes class.
Species Profile
Tricholoma inamoenum is a mushroom of the agaric genus Tricholoma found through the Northern Hemisphere, particularly under conifers. It is poisonous, and is characterized by an unpleasant odor resembling coal gas or tar. • Analysis of the volatile compounds emanating from fresh sporocarps using solid phase microextraction (SPME) showed the odor compounds responsible for the coal tar odor of this mushroom are 1-octen-3-ol and indole.
Tricholoma inamoenum, the Gassy Knight mushroom, faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from deforestation and land conversion in its native European range. Climate change is altering the delicate soil and moisture conditions required for this mycorrhizal species to form essential partnerships with host trees. Pollution and soil contamination further threaten the specialized forest ecosystems this rare fungus depends upon.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Tricholoma inamoenum, the Gassy Knight mushroom, faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from deforestation and land conversion in its native European range. Climate change is altering the delicate soil and moisture conditions required for this mycorrhizal species to form essential partnerships with host trees. Pollution and soil contamination further threaten the specialized forest ecosystems this rare fungus depends upon.
Climate change affecting soil conditions
Disruption of mycorrhizal host relationships
Habitat loss and forest fragmentation
Agricultural intensification
Soil pollution and contamination
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Gassy Knight (Tricholoma inamoenum). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/gassy-knight