[3] First described by the mycologist Charles Horton Peck,[4] this bulbous-stemmed edible species smells slightly of anise or bitter almond,[5] and turns yellow when bruised or cut.

The mushroom is medium-sized, with a white, yellow-staining cap on a slender stipe that has a wide, flat bulb on the base.

The species was originally named Agaricus abruptus by American mycologist Charles Horton Peck in 1900.

Under the transitioning nomenclatural conventions of the time, it was unclear if Agaricus abruptus would remain available for use, so Peck changed the name.

[5] Agaricus silvicola is very similar in appearance and also grows in woodlands, but it may be distinguished by the lack of an abruptly bulbous base.

[11] Agaricus arvensis has a more robust stature, lacks the bulbous base, and grows in grassy open areas like meadows and fields.