A widespread and variable New Zealand species, notable for its large size, blue-tinged brown pileus, and deep blue stipe apex.

Pileus: 15-55 (-80) mm diam., conical when young, later distinctly umbonate, gibbous, or campanulate; in old specimens the margin may become upturned. Colour dark brown to soot‑brown, always with a bluish tinge. Surface dry, covered with radially arranged wrinkles or veins; neither striate nor hygrophanous.
Lamellae: (L 16-22, l 3-7) adnexed to subfree, grey‑bluish becoming pink. Edges straight to subserrate, concolorous.
Stipe: 40-100 x 3-10 mm, fusoid, bulbous‑rooting or clavate, often twisted. Apex deep blue, fading downward to whitish or ochraceous base. Strongly fibrillose, dry, hollow, fragile.
Context: blue in pileus and upper stipe, whitish to yellowish at base.
Odour/taste: strongly acidulous.