CANTERBURY: Lincoln, beneath Cupressus macrocarpa, NZMS 260 M36/ 67-29-, PDD 68573.

Pileus (40-)90(-150) mm diam., very thick, fleshy, hemispherical when young, finally broadly convex to applanate, surface smooth to streaky, reddish brown (10R4/4) to brown (2.5YR 4/6) fibrillose scales, soil particles and humic materials often adhering to surface; margin thick and inrolled, with remnants of white (N9.5) veil; lamellae insertion free, thick, crowded of several lengths, sometimes grown together, pink (5R 9/2-8/4) when young, finally moderate to strong brown (5YR 4/4-3/2), edge pale, sterile; trama parallel to irregular. Stipe 30-60 x 20-30 mm, central, solid, cylindrical, swollen sometimes pointed base with mycelial cords, surface fibrillose, white (N9.5) to buff (10YR 9/2-8/4) above and below annulus. Annulus pendant, white (N9.5) to buff (10YR 9/2-8/4) above and below, surface smooth. Flesh white (N9.5) becoming reddish (7.5R 7/4-6/8) upon cutting or bruising; odour and taste pleasant. Schaffer's cross-reaction negative.
Basidia 4-spored, 19-40 x 6-11 µm, clavate to broadly clavate, with sterigmata 5-6 µm (very hyaline and difficult to see). Cheilocystidia 17-45 x 7-15 (20) µm, clavate to broadly clavate, hyaline to fawn, abundant. Basidiospores dark brown (5YR 3/2) in mass, size (6.9-)8.4(-9.8) x (5.5-)6.1(-6.7) µm, elongation (1.2-)1.4(-1.6) µm, ellipsoid to subglobose-globose, pale brown to brown (2.5YR 4/4-5YR 4/4) in water, refractive centre (1-3 droplets), apiculus lateral, germ-pore not visible.

NEW ZEALAND Canterbury, North Otago (Taylor 1983).

Gregarious or solitary, with hypogean development.