Plants to 15 cm (excluding inflorescence). Leaves often suffused with purple-brown; blade 3–13 cm × 6–18 mm. Inflorescences 1–3, erect-arching, to 20 cm; bracts 2–3 mm. Flowers pale pink to rose, pink-lavender, or white with pink flush, with darker rose-colored veins; sepals 3–7 × 1–2 mm; lateral sepals forming asymmetrically pouched cavity; petals 5–7 × 3–4 mm; lip pink-lavender with yellow patch near callus, 6–17 × 6–18 mm; callus of 2 lamellae and 2 lateral teeth, with short, basal, nectar horn, enclosed by nectar spur formed by lateral sepals.
Ionopsis utricularioides is one of the most widely ranging species of neotropical orchids. It occurs in several different variants, all of which intergrade. The various extreme forms, some with relatively enormous flowers, have been given form names, but little other than size separates them.
