Pileus: convex; 10 - 20 mm diameter; dry; fibrillose; orange yellow; margin lobed.

Stipe: cylindrical; 15- 30 × 1.5–2 mm; glabrous to minutely fibrillose; dry; orange yellow above, golden yellow towards base.

Gills: adnate to subdecurrent; rather distant; pale orange yellow.

Flesh: pale orange.

Spore print: white.

Spores: ellipsoid; 5.5 - 7 × 4 – 4.5 µm.

Notes: this orange yellow Hygrocybe is difficult to identify. This species is defined by its orange yellow colours and small spores.