Pileus: planoconvex with a shallow central depression when mature; 30 - 50 mm diameter; velutinate; red, orange red; margin lobed.

Stipe: cylindrical to slightly clavate; 35- 40 × 4–5 mm; glabrous; buff, orange tinted brown.

Gills: adnate to slightly subdecurrent; creamy pink; lamellullae in two series

Flesh: whitish.

Spore print: white.

Spores: not recorded.

Notes: this Hygrocybe did not readily fit any of the species in Horak or Young. H. firma has the colour combination of a red cap and pink gills ,but this can only be readily confirmed by the dimorphic spores which were not examined for this collection.