Thelymitra pulcherrima Jeanes

Leaf almost straight to slightly spirally twisted, dark green, 50–100 × 4–10 mm; basal part of leaf widest, purplish, its margins often lobed and undulate, short hairs on veins and margins; leaf narrowing abruptly above base, then linear. Flower stem 100–300 × 1–1.5 mm, wiry, 1–6-flowered. Sterile bract 1. Flowers glossy, iridescent, 25–35 mm across, starry, sepals and petals of contrasting colours, mainly pink, mauve, purple and yellow, strongly spotted and blotched. Sepals and petals 10–18 × 5–8 mm, dorsal sepal widest, labellum narrowest. Column 5–7 × 3–5 mm, broadly winged, brightly coloured (similar colour to petals), often spotted; post-anther lobe vestigial, apex with arc of globose and finger-like papillae; column arms erect, ear-like, 4–5.5 mm long, fleshy, yellow or orange. Anther narrow, 5–6 mm long, yellow or orange, papillate, apex beak-like, 2–3 mm long.

Localised and rare; found growing among shrubs in open forest and heathland in freely draining laterite soil, less commonly in sand.