Leaf spirally twisted, dark green, 50–100 × 4–8 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, spirally twisted, encircling flower stem. Flower stem 100–350 × 1–2 mm, wiry, 1–2-flowered. Sterile bract 1. Flowers 15–30 mm across, pink, mauve, blue or purplish with darker longitudinal veins, externally greenish with pink to purple veins. Sepals and petals 6–15 × 2–7 mm, dorsal sepal widest, labellum narrowest. Column 3.5–5.5 × 2.5–3 mm, similar colour to perianth; post-anther lobe vestigial, top with arc of globose to finger-shaped papillae; column arms ear-like, 1.5–2.5 mm long, erect, narrow, yellow to orange. Anther at top of column, projecting forward, orange to yellow, apex beak-like, 1–1.5 mm long.
Widespread, but uncommon; found growing among sedges and rushes in moist to wet, sandy soil and clay; also in dense, shrubby vegetation, swamps, swamp margins and low-lying depressions.
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