Key features: plants without a distinct rosette leaves, medium to large often with narrow grassy leaves and a single large flower. Lateral sepals often long acuminate and held erect reaching well above the dorsal sepal, or in various recurved positions.

Key features: plants without roseete stage, usually narrow_leaved, flowers less than half the size of Pterostylis banksii, sepals usually quite shortly acuminate, scarcely curled or recurved.

Key features: small plants with a distinct broadleaved rosette and an erect stem with bract-like leaves and a small flower. Often in large colonies

Key features: plants with rosette stage, flowering stem with small bracts and one or more flowers, the labellum quite variable between species.