The fruitbodies of this fungus have hemispherical to convex brick- to brown-red caps, with diameters up to and covered with a layer of slime. The cap centre may be depressed or raised (umbonate) with a boss. The cap margins are curved inwards and smooth. The gills on the cap underside have a subdecurrent attachment to the stipe. Initially light tan or clay-coloured, they deepen to rusty brown as the spores mature. The cinnabar red stipe is cylindrical to slightly bulbous, up to in height and in width. Its lower part, below the remnants of the veil, are covered in slime. The flesh is white. The mushroom has no particular taste or smell, and stains red-purple when potassium hydroxide is applied to it. The spore print is rust-brown, and the oval warty spores measure 8–10 by 5–7 µm.
