Plants forming sparse to dense and often extensive vegetative colonies. Leaf heart-shaped, 10–30 × 5–20 mm, dark green above, purple beneath, held 10–30 mm above soil level on a fleshy stalk. Flower stem 50–250 mm long, dark brown, 1–9-flowered. Flowers c. 40 × 4 mm, dark reddish purple (rarely green), strongly odorous. Dorsal sepal and lateral sepals broadest near base (1–1.5 mm wide) then long and thread-like; dorsal sepal 35–40 mm long; lateral sepals 15–20 mm long. Petals narrowly ovate, c. 4 × 1 mm, spreading or reflexed. Labellum wedge-shaped when flattened, broadest near base then tapered to an acuminate apex, 5–6 × 3.5–4.5 mm, concave in basal third with incurved margins, apex flat, densely papillate, curved downwards or recurved. Callus consisting of a narrow central longitudinal channel flanked by papillae, with two erect basal glands c. 1 mm long.
Widespread and common from the coast to the mountains in small to extensive colonies; growing among shrubs and bracken on slopes and flats in coastal scrub, heathland and heathy forest in freely draining sands; and in open forest and woodland in clay loams. Colonises exotic pine plantations in SW Vic. and S.A.
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