Cylindrical to slightly enlarged below before tapering to a rooting base, with the lower portion at first densely spotted with very dark grey to almost black floccose scales, soon disappearing, leaving the lower part of the stem densely flecked with delicate, dark blackish brown, hair-like fibrils with recurved tips on a dirty salmon to bright tawny background, finally passing into blackish grey-brown. The volva may also be present as irregular bands of grey to nearly black material on the stem.