Synonyms: Agaricus melaleucus, Boletopsis melaleuca, Gyrophila melaleuca, Melanoleuca graminicola, Tricholoma melaleucum.
Common name: bald knight.
Extract from Wikipedia article: Melanoleuca melaleuca is a species of mushroom in the Tricholomataceae family, and it is the type species of its genus Melanoleuca. It is difficult to distinguish from other related species firstly because it is variable, secondly because the taxonomic criteria are often based on characteristics which have later been found to be variable, and thirdly because there is much disagreement between authorities as to exactly how the species should be defined.
Estonian: Harilik kühmik, Finnish: Nokisataheltta, Polish: Ciemnobiałka ciemna, Swedish: Mörkmusseron, Ukrainian: Меланоливка коротконога.
Melanoleuca melaleuca is a small to medium-sized agaric fungus with a gray-brown cap, white to pale gray gills, and a slender stem. In East and Central Texas, it typically fruits in the spring and fall, often in association with oak, pine, and other deciduous and coniferous trees. The fungus can be found growing solitary or in small groups on soil, moss, and leaf litter in a variety of habitats, including woodlands, forests, and urban areas. Its distribution in the region is widespread, but it tends to be more common in areas with rich soil and moderate to high levels of rainfall.
Melanoleuca melaleuca mushrooms in dry leaves in Bee Creek Park. College Station, Texas, January 28, 2018
Bald knight (Melanoleuca melaleuca)(?) mushrooms on Richards Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, September 25, 2020
Bald knight (Melanoleuca melaleuca)(?) mushrooms among pine needles on Richards Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, September 25, 2020
Underside of bald knight (Melanoleuca melaleuca)(?) mushrooms on Richards Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, September 25, 2020
Mushrooms Melanoleuca melaleuca(?) on a forest cutting on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 26, 2020
Mushrooms Melanoleuca melaleuca on a bonfire site on a forest cutting on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 26, 2020
Mushroom Melanoleuca melaleuca(?) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, February 12, 2023
Side view of mushroom Melanoleuca melaleuca(?) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, February 12, 2023
Gills of mushroom Melanoleuca melaleuca(?) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, February 12, 2023
Tissues (in Congo Red) at low magnification of mushroom Melanoleuca melaleuca(?) collected on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, February 12, 2023
Basidia of mushroom Melanoleuca melaleuca(?) collected on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, February 12, 2023
Spores (in Congo Red) of mushroom Melanoleuca melaleuca(?) collected on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, February 12, 2023
Spores of mushroom Melanoleuca melaleuca(?) collected on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, February 12, 2023
Bald knight mushrooms (Melanoleuca melaleuca(?)) on FS203 near Richards Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, February 21, 2024Observations of Melanoleuca melaleuca in East and Central Texas revealed the fungus grows in various environments, including dry leaves and pine needles. In Bee Creek Park, College Station, it was found on January 28 and February 15, 2018. In Sam Houston National Forest, it was observed on Richards Loop Trail on September 25, 2020, and near Montgomery on September 26, 2020, and February 12, 2023. The fungus was also seen on a bonfire site and a forest cutting. Microscopic examination of the tissues, basidia, and spores were conducted, with samples stained in Congo Red. Additional observations were made on FS203 near Richards Loop Trail on February 21, 2024. The sightings spanned different seasons, indicating the fungus can grow throughout the year in East and Central Texas.
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