It has a widespread distribution, and has been collected in coniferous forests and grasslands in Asia, Europe, North America, and the subantarctic islands.

In the field, fruit bodies are characterized by a pink cap up to 6 cm (2.4 in) broad, a well-developed ring on the stem, and an unpleasant odour.

[3] The specific epithet carcharias is probably derived from the Greek καρχαρός (karcharos) which means sharp, pointed or jagged.

The fruiting body is characterised by an off-white and pale pink-tinged cap with a distinct darker central spot, and a powdery cuticle.

Cystoderma carcharias is a fairly common fungus distributed in Europe, North America and temperate Asia,[8] typically occurring in coniferous forests.

[11] Fruit bodies are found singly or in groups on soil among grass or moss during late summer and autumn.