Plants 7–60 cm. Roots few, descending, tuberous, mostly to 0.8 cm diam. Leaves fugaceous or rarely persisting to anthesis, basal, ascending, linear-lanceolate to oblanceolate, to 16 × 1.5 cm. Spikes usually very tightly spiraled, 3–4 flowers per cycle of spiral; rachis moderately pubescent, some trichomes capitate, glands obviously stalked (longest trichomes 0.2–0.52 mm). Flowers abruptly nodding from base, white to ivory, gaping, lip not strongly curving from claw, not urceolate; sepals distinct to base, 5–14 mm; lateral sepals wide-spreading, commonly ascending above flower; petals linear to lance-oblong, 4.9–13 mm, apex acute to obtuse; lip commonly yellow centrally, ovate to oblong, 4.9–12 × 3.3–7 mm, margins crenulate, glabrous; veins several, branches parallel; basal calli short-conic, mostly to 1 mm; viscidia linear-lanceolate; ovary 4–10 mm. In New Mexico flowering mid July to August