The
cap is initially convex to somewhat conical before flattening out in age; it attains a diameter of wide. The cap surface, smooth and slightly lubricous, is deep viscous to dark brown in the center. The margin is somewhat translucent, so that the grooves made by the
gills are discernible. The thin
flesh has a firm texture similar to
cartilage, a distinct strong nitrous odor, and a mild to somewhat bitter taste. The gills have an
adnate attachment, but often recede from the stipe as the mushroom matures. Their color is white to dirty pink. They can develop reddish-brown spots in age. Interspersed between the gills are two or three tiers of lamellae (short gills). The stipe measures long by thick, and is roughly the same thickness throughout its length. Its surface texture is smooth or lightly pruinose (as if dusted with a fine white powder), and it is dark brown at the base and whitish at the top. There can be fine hairs at the base, particularly in young specimens. The
spore print is white.
Spores are thin walled,
ellipsoid,
hyaline (translucent), and measure 5–7 by 3–3.4
μm. They are
amyloid. The
basidia are four-spored, club shaped, and measure 21–30 by 4.5–5.4 μm. Cheilocystidia (
cystidia on the gill edge) are club-shaped, hyaline to dark grey, and measure 24–34 by 5–11 μm. ==Habitat and distribution==