The species was first described scientifically by Ernst Both, curator emeritus in mycology at the Buffalo Museum of Science, based on specimens he found growing in New York state.

[3] The cap ranges in shape from hemispheric to broadly convex to flattened depending on its age, and it is usually between 7.5–20 cm (3.0–7.9 in) in diameter.

The cap surface is dry, smooth, and slightly shiny; its color ranges from light brown to olive-brown, although it tends to be darker in age.

The flesh is whitish, but after it is cut or injured, will slowly stain pink to pinkish-red, eventually becoming black.

The species is fairly common in its range, which includes western New York and West Virginia, although the true limits of its distribution have yet to be precisely determined.