Leaf 150–250 × 5–7 mm, erect, linear, pale green to dark green, fleshy. Flower stem 200–550 × 2–5 mm, wiry, 1–4-flowered. Sterile bracts usually 2. Flowers 20–30 mm across, bright blue with darker blue veins (rarely white with blue veins or pink with brown veins). Sepals and petals 12–16 × 8–10 mm (sepals longer than petals). Labellum obovate, larger and more differentiated than in most other sun orchids, outer margins often wavy or crinkled. Column 4–6 × 2.5–3.5 mm, broadly winged, white or pale blue; post-anther lobe short, not hooding anther, with small dorsal patch of crowded, bead-like papillae; column arms yellow, more or less erect, flat, usually spirally twisted or loosely coiled, toothed or lobed near apex. Anther near column apex, with long point.
This species extends from coastal and near coastal localities (Tas. and eastern Vic.) to subalpine and alpine regions. It favours moist to wet soils and boggy situations and is often locally common in a range of habitats including wet heathland, sedge land, button grass moorland, spear grass plains, swamps and swamp margins, wet flats, peat bogs, living sphagnum mounds and seepage areas in Snow Gum woodland, open forest and sedgy woodland.
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