Plant: medium-sized 15-20 cm tall, slender-leaved. Leaves 5-20 cm x 4-5 mm.

Flowers: medium sized 10-15mm tall erect. Lateral sepals scarcely longer than the dorsal sepal, straight, leaning forward to cross the dorsal sepal well towards the tip, creating a wide gape, exposing much of the labellum when viewed from the side. Labellum dark reddish brown, gradually tapered, tip just protruding between the laterals.

Flowering: November to December.

Habitat: damp ground in light scrub or forest often on fertile soils, limestone and volcanic. Central North Is to Nelson and Marlborough.

Conservation: locally abundant; not threatened

Notes: like P. porrecta and P. irsoniana but distinguished by the wide gap between dorsal and lateral sepals.

Key features: medium sized flower with straight lateral sepals crossing the dorsal sepal.