Plants to 30 cm tall. Rhizome 1.5-4 × 1-2.5 cm. Stem whitish with violet streaks, with many scalelike sheaths; sheaths brownish, clustered near base of stem, becoming more widely spaced above, to ca. 1.8 cm. Rachis laxly 5-to more than 10-flowered; floral bracts erect, 6-7 mm, mostly shorter than ovary. Flowers pendulous, off-white, tinged with deep violet at apex; pedicel and ovary to ca. 1 cm. Sepals and petals similar, lanceolate, 7-9 × ca. 2.5 mm, apex acute; lip ovate-lanceolate, ca. 8 × 3.5 mm, concave, containing 2 low, wartlike calli at base. Column short, ca. 2 mm excluding anther; anther borne on a broad filament, cucullate, ca. 2.5 mm; stigma terminal. Capsule elliptic, to ca. 1 cm. Fl. Jun-Jul.