Fruitbodies are up to 6 cm tall. The heads are flattened, fan-shaped to spatula-shaped and pale yellow-brown to dark brown. Stalks are cylindrical, brown, darker than the head and minutely hairy to velvety.   Widespread and locally common, it fruits on the ground or on well-rotted hardwood. It differs from S. flavida in having a darker, somewhat velvety stalk. It is also known as Spathularia velutipes.