Deadly poisonous, it is a member of section Phalloideae and related to the death cap, A. phalloides.

The cap is convex to plano-convex, reaching dimensions of 3–11 centimetres (1+1⁄4–4+1⁄4 inches).

In young mushrooms, the gills exude drops of clear fluid.

Spores are smooth, amyloid, spherical or roughly so, and measure 7–10 by 6.8–9.5 μm.

It is closely related to A. phalloides, and was referred to as this species in the past by Mexican mycologists.