Pileus: convex; 10 - 22 mm diameter; dry; scurfy, minutely squamolose when young; brilliant red, fading to orange; margin crenulated.

Stipe: cylindrical; 20- 45 × 1–2.5mm; glabrous; dry; brilliant red, sometimes a little orange at apex and base.

Gills: deeply decurrent; rather distant;cream.

Flesh: not recorded.

Spore print: white.

Spores: ellipsoid; 8 - 11 × 5 –7µm.

Notes: this small Hygrocybe is easy to identify in the field because of the combination of a bright red scurfy cap, a bright red stipe and deeply decurrent white gills.