Plant: usually biennial, to 15cm tall forming large colonies; first year rosette leaves often trowel-shaped and flat rarely rumpled, second year adult leaves narrow and short, more or less evenly spaced up the stem.

Flower to 20mm tall; hood tip horizontal; labellum arched, tapering to inverted U at tip; lateral sepals diverging to form a flat V sinus with the edge curled inwards like a mouth missing teeth.

Flowering: May to December but peak in mid winter.

Habitat: lowland scrub and well lit forest. Northland to Banks Peninsula.

Conservation: widespread, often numerous, not threatened.

Notes: plant may sometimes have both rosette leaves, transitional leaves and a flower. often with P. trullifolia, P. brumalis or Acianthus sinclairii. Flower of P. alobula usually broader than that of P. trullifolia.

Key features: presence of rosette and flowering stages, very small flower, lateral sepals incurved at junction to give toothless look.