Flowering plant to 5–25 cm tall, stem smooth. Leaves 4–7, either in a basal rosette or some scattered up the stem, oblong to elliptic, 4–10 cm long, 1.5–3 cm wide, sessile to subsessile, margins entire, flat or crinkled. Flower 3–4 cm long, semi-nodding, white and green, heavily suffused with red-brown at front; dorsal sepal acute, not exceeding the petals; lateral sepals erect, loosely embracing the galea leaving a lateral gap, sinus v-shaped when viewed from the front, protruding in a shallow curve when viewed from the side, markedly scabrous, free points linear-tapered, 1–2 cm long, erect or recurved; petals flared, acute. Labellum linear-lanceolate, 14–17 mm long, 3.5–4.5 mm wide, dark brown, curved forwards in the distal third, apex obtuse, tip visible from the front of the sinus in the set position, but not protruding. Flowers Aug.–Oct.
GleP, Brid, VVP, GipP, OtP, CVU, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, VAlp. Widely distributed but disjunct, mostly occurring in small groups in coastal areas, sometimes near inland watercourses.
