Pileus: convex; 30 - 35 mm diameter; dry; fibrillose; red, becoming yellowish with age.

Stipe: cylindrical; 35- 40 × 4–6mm; glabrous; dry; red fading to orange yellow.

Gills: sinuate to subdecurrent; angular; pale red to white (depending on author!).

Flesh: white with a reddish tint.

Spore print: white.

Spores: broadly ellipsoid, dimorphic (two sizes); 12 – 15.5 × 9 – 11 µm and 6 – 8.5 × 4 – 6.5 µm.

Notes: red and orange capped Hygrocybes are difficult to identify. This species is defined by its strongly dimorphic spores with the larger ones roughly twice the size of the smaller.