Sulphur Knight; The Stinker
Possibly possessing the most revolting odor of any mushroom in the PNW is this member of genus Tricholoma. The fruit bodies are small to medium in size with caps in the 3-6 cm range and stipes 4-8 cm. Usually bright yellow with often a brownish disk, the caps can fade to whitish yellow or beige in age. There is often a small umbo. Caps are smooth, viscid, and not radially lined. The gills are moderately spaced, yellow and notched or attached. They may also fade to off white. Spore print is white. The stipes are smooth, equal and yellow. What makes this mushroom distinctive is its repulsive odor, caused by the chemical skatole. A single specimen can render a car interior or the room of a house unbearable. It is likely toxic and should never be eaten. Look for it, if you dare, under conifers in the fall. In Europe it is found mainly under hardwood trees.