Macroscopic: The lamellae are broadly attached to the stipe, shallow near the stipe and deepening toward the margin; they are a pale beige, with a white spore print. Gills are crowded (~0.05 cm spacing) and arranged in alternating tiers—long primaries running from stipe to margin interspersed with shorter lamellulae extending about halfway inward—typically in a large–small sequence. In immature specimens, small lamellulae measure 0.1–0.7 cm (avg ~0.4 cm; highly variable) and large primaries ~1.0 cm; in mature specimens, small lamellulae are 0.2–1.0 cm (avg ~0.5 cm; highly variable) and large primaries ~1.5 cm. The stipe is central (6cm x 0.3 cm for mature specimen, 4.5cm x 0.2cm for immature specimen), round, smooth, and shiny, grading in mature mushrooms from dark brown at the base to brown at the apex, and in younger mushrooms from brown at the base to dark beige at the apex; the very apex where it meets the cap is pale beige. The pileus is plane to slightly convex in maturity and convex when young with a slight umbo; the surface is fibrous with fine striations, dull when dry and lubricous/moist when wet. Mature caps (diameter 3.56 cm; disc thickness 0.10 cm) show a dark-brown disc with brown center fading irregularly to cream at the margin. Young caps (diameter 1.40 cm; disc thickness 0.10 cm) mirror the pattern but are lighter overall—brown at the center shifting to dark cream and then cream—with smoother transitions; as specimens dry, contrasts diminish and colors lighten. No distinctive odor/taste. Hymenium is a dark pink in Melzer's reagent.
Microscopic: 2 large sterigma per basidium, lacking pleurocystidia. Slightly ellipsoid white smooth spores 10-12 x 5-7 µm. Spores turn blue in Melzer’s reaction.