How to tell Shield pinkgill from Wood pinkgill

The cap is 5-12 cm across, hemispherical when young, then convex to flattened, with a broad, low bump in the centre. It's greyish brown, mouse-brown or chocolate grey: darker and slightly slimy in wet weather, paler and silky-shiny when dry. The surface is smooth, sometimes with fine radial streaks in the centre. The margin is thin and rolled under in young mushrooms.

The cap is 3–10 cm across and fairly thin-fleshed. Young caps are convex or bell-shaped, then flatten with a low, broad bump; in old mushrooms the centre sinks slightly, leaving the bump in the middle.

The colour is grey-brown, beige, yellowish grey or olive-grey. The cap is hygrophanous: dark when wet, with faint lines at the edge, fading almost to off-white as it dries, often in patches. The surface is smooth, a little sticky in damp weather and silky-shiny when dry.

The gills are broad and notched where they meet the stem. They're whitish grey when young and take on the pinkish salmon colour typical of Entoloma with age. The spore print is pinkish brown, the key feature of the genus.

The gills are attached to the stem, sometimes running slightly down it, and moderately spaced. They are white in young mushrooms, turn pink with age and become dull pink in old ones.

The spore print is pink. This is what separates a pinkgill from grey knights, domecaps and funnels, which all leave a white print.

The stem is 5-12 cm tall and 1-2 cm thick, cylindrical and sturdy, slightly thickened toward the base. It's white to dirty white and lengthwise-fibrous, with no ring. The flesh of the stem is firm, becoming hollow in old mushrooms.

The stem is 4–10 cm tall and 0.5–1.5 cm thick, white or greyish, smooth and silky, with fine lengthwise fibres. It is stuffed at first, then becomes hollow and brittle and is easily crushed between your fingers.

There is no ring, no veil remnants and no volva. The very base can have a little white mycelial fluff.

The flesh is thick, white and fleshy, and doesn't change colour when cut. Raw, it has a pleasant mealy-cucumber smell and taste.

The flesh is white, thin and brittle, doesn't change colour when broken and has no milk. The taste is mild or mealy, not bitter.

Mealy-cucumber, typical of Entoloma. After boiling, it smells mildly mushroomy. The taste is delicate.

The smell is indistinct or faintly of flour; in the smelly form (Entoloma nidorosum) it is sharp and chemical, like bleach or ammonia. Drying mushrooms smell unpleasant. Don't rely on smell: the edible mushrooms it is mistaken for smell of flour as well.