This is a medium to large, orange-yellow, rounded agaric with scattered, reddish orange scales embedded in the surface.

Cap Bright yellow, convex to broadly humped. Surface scales embedded in a slime layer, sometimes disappearing in rain. Gills close, adnate (broadly attached) at first; yellowish to reddish brown. Spores are reddish-brown. Stem central or off center, cylindrical, solid, firm. Surface cottony above poorly developed ring, fibrillose to scaly below.

Similar species Pholiota jahnii and Pholiota limonella.

Pholiota aurivella on the First Nature Web site.