Erect terrestrial herb 2.7–13.5 cm tall, glabrous except for leaf, lip and subterranean parts.Tuber 6–9 mm in diameter, subspherical or ovoid, 3–4-noded.Leaf solitary, appearing after flowering, prostrate, 1.4–3.0(3.9) × 2.0–3.5(4.2) cm, reniform to orbicular, obtuse, covered with short stiff hairs on the upper surface and often with a silvery reticulate pattern, usually purple beneath; veins(5)7–11; petiole 5–7 mm long, sulcate with 1–2 sheathing cataphylls.Scape erect, terete, 1-flowered, with 2–3 sheathing cataphylls, lengthening to 16–23 cm when fruiting.Flowers ± horizontal; bracts 0.5–3 mm long.Sepals and petals spreading, closing again after about 8 hours anthesis or after pollination, subequal, linear-lanceolate, acute, reddish-green; lateral sepals slightly oblique, 12–16 × 2 mm; petals slightly shorter, to 14 mm long.Lip 14–23(including spur) × 8–12.5 mm, elliptic to elliptic-cuneate, spurred, lilac, mauve or red with white markings and yellow centre, with numerous long papillae on inner surface; veins with several anostomoses; spur straight, short, often slightly bifid, 3–4.2 × 2.6 mm.Column almost straight, 6–7 mm long, clavate, glabrous; pollinia yellow, c. 2.5 mm long.
