Flowering plant 20–45 cm tall, stem wiry, stem leaves 3–6, closely sheathing. Rosette leaves 3–5, ovate to cordate, 0.8–2.3 cm long, 0.5–1.5 cm wide, petiolate, margins flat, 1–3 rosettes arising laterally on the mature plant. Flowers 3–20, erect, 8–10 mm long, green and white basally, brownish towards apex, angular and narrow, crowded; galea erect in the basal half, curved forwards in the distal half; dorsal sepal shortly acuminate, apex scabrous; lateral sepals erect, tightly embracing the galea, sinus shallowly notched when viewed from the front, stepped when viewed from the side, free points linear-tapered, c. 3 mm long, not exceeding the galea; petals falcate. Labellum narrowly elliptic, 3–4 mm long, c. 1.5 mm wide, tip not visible through the sinus in the set position. Flowers Jan.–Mar.
CVU, NIS, EGU, HNF, MonT, VAlp. Also NSW, ACT. Widespread in north-eastern Victoria, mostly north of the Dividing Rang, but with a few sites (e.g. Bendoc, Deddick, Benambra areas) to the south. Mostly in dryish open forest with a dense shrubby or grassy understorey, on well-drained loams.
Characterised by its many crowded, narrow, angular flowers that are brownish and scabrous towards the apex, and its summer flowering.
The distinction between this and robust forms of P. clivosa is not always clear.
