Leaf 10–20 × 8–10 mm, dark green above, reddish purple beneath. Flower stem rigid, brown, 80–180 mm tall, base narrowest, thickened and swelling upwards, 2–10-flowered. Flowers yellowish brown, 17–20 × 4 mm. Dorsal sepal 10–12 × 1.5 mm, incurved over column. Lateral sepals curved, 7–9 × 0.8 mm, deflexed. Petals recurved behind ovary, 7–9 × 0.3 mm. Labellum with prominent basal rod-like stalk c. 6 mm long, hinged to short column foot; labellum lamina 7–8 × 0.8 mm, margins folded down, apex strongly curved forwards. Callus dominating labellum, wasp-like, 4–5 × 2–2.5 mm, swollen, fleshy; insectiform head dark red, fringed with reddish branched hairs.
Widespread and common, ranging from near-coastal districts to inland areas; it favours granite outcrops where it grows among clumps of Borya, moss and lichens in shallow soil over rock sheets, often with its tuber in contact with the rock; it also occurs in similar situations on sandstone outcrops; occasionally also in heavy clay on margins of winter wet swamps.
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