[2] The fruit bodies of Gymnopilus luteofolius have reddish to purplish to yellow caps 2 to 8 cm (0.8 to 3.1 in) in diameter, which often develop green stains.

The stipe is the same color as the cap, often dusted with rusty brown spores, fibrillose, measuring 3–9 by 3–10 mm thick, equal to enlarged near the base.

[3] The spores are bright rusty brown in deposit, measuring 6–8.5 x 4–4.5 μm, ellipsoid to subellipsoid, inequilateral, roughened and dextrinoid, with no germ pore.

The lamellar trama is made up of parallel hyphae 5–18 μm across, frequently septate, with yellowish pigment that is dissolved by potassium hydroxide.

The pileocystidia measure 44–53 μm, and are club-shaped, cylindrical or ventricose terminal elements on the hyphae that forms the scales on the cap.