CANTERBURY: near Lake Ellesmere, SW of Motukarara Gun Club, NZMS 260 M36/75-18-, growing naturally in saline soils; Ohoka, NZMS 260 M35/72- 62-; Lake Pukaki region, NZMS 260 H37/79-96- OTAGO: Taiaroa Head, Otago Peninsular, NZMS 260 J44/33-90-, PDD 68567.

Pileus 50-80(-120) mm diam., thick, convex, fleshy, strong brown to brownish orange (5YR 5/4-4/5) scales on white surface (N9.5), bruising reddish (5R 7/6-6/8); margin thick, inrolled when young, finally straight, with remnants of veil; lamellae insertion free, thin, crowded of several lengths, pink (5R 8/4) when young, finally moderate brown (7.5YR 4/4); edge pale and sterile; trama parallel to irregular. Stipe 30-50 x 10-30 mm, central, solid to fistulose, cylindrical, base rounded to narrowing, surface smooth, white (N9.5) above annulus, white to brownish below annulus (7.5YR 4/4-5YR 4/4), slight reddening (5R 6/8) on bruising. Annulus peronate, thick and broad, bifurcated edges, white above (N9.5), brown below (7.5YR 4/4-5YR 4/4) white (N9.5) towards the edges, surface smooth. Flesh gradually reddening (5R 7/6-6/8) on cutting or bruising; odour and taste pleasant. Schaffer's cross-reaction negative.
Basidia (l-)2(-4)-spored, 15-25 x 9-11 µm, broadly clavate, with sterigmata 3-5 µm. Cheilocystidia 30-80 x 7-9 (12) µm, clavate, hyaline, abundant. Basidiospores dark brown in mass, size (6.8-)7.7(-8.5) x (5.6-)6.1(-6.6) µm, elongation (1.0-)1.3(-1.5) µm, broadly ellipsoid, fawn to pale brown in water, refractive centre (2 droplets), apiculus lateral, germ-pore not visible.

NEW ZEALAND Canterbury, Otago. Commonly cultivated mushroom.

Gregarious or in rings in pasture, often in areas with high manure content. Good edible quality.