Entolomas can be very difficult to identify, but this is one of the more distinctive Entolomas. It is a rather rare species that fruits in spring or fall and late winter in the southern part of its range. It is a woodland saprobe with a gregarious growth habit that feeds on duff or litter, in this case beneath redwood and Douglas fir. It features a grayish brown or yellowish brown hygrophanous, dry and smooth cap that is conical or campanulate with an acute and nipple-like umbo. Caps may or may not be lined towards the margins, and may appear silky or velvety, with appressed fibrils. They are 2-6 cm across. The close to subdistant gills are notched, ventricose, whitish at first, becoming grayish and then pinkish with spore development. The spore print is pinkish brown. Stipes are up to 11 cm, twisted, hollow, smooth, fragile and dry with fine hairs especially towards the apex. The odor is fishy and farinaceous or like cut cucumber. The taste is unpleasant. Like nearly all Entolomas it should not be eaten.