Plant: up 10–30cm tall. The tubular leaf may exceed the flower spike but is often withered.

Flowers: 5-20 flowers in a spike, varying from green to pale yellow to shades of maroon on different plants. Lateral sepals upright, separate, labellum uppermost, oval, recurved, callus extending over curve almost to tip, smooth margin. Pollinia attached to the rostellum by a threadlike stipe; rostellum, longer than the anther which in turn is longer than the column arms. Column wings are half the length of the anther.

Flowering: October to February.

Habitat: lowland to alpine open areas but most common in short alpine grassland. Throughout.

Conservation: widespread, locally common, usually scattered plants, not threatened.

Notes: variable, with several distinct forms some of have attracted tag names. Flower colour varies within populations.

Key features: rather pointed tepals, grassland habitat, flowers often varying in colour within a population.