From ground in mixed birch, oak, red maple, hemlock forest. Caps 2-4 cm, dark golden yellow, viscid, somewhat wrinkled. Cap flesh white to pale yellow. Pores pale yellow, unbruising. Stipe 6-8 mm thick at apex, swollen to 1-1.5 cm and often curved toward the base. Pale yellow and covered with reddish punctae except at the apex. Stipe flesh whitish to very pale yellow, slowly staining dull pink overall with bright blue specks in the base. Ammonia and KOH red on cap surface.