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The flower stem grows to about 150mm tall with about 6 flowers, each only about 15mm long. When the flowering finishes, the blue green leaves will emerge. The leaves will die off in winter.

This orchid is very similar to Arthrochilus irritabilis but can be distinguished by the sparser calli on the labellum which are not club shaped. To inspect the labellum calli will require a magnifying glass.

The flower of Arthrochilus prolixus. Note the elbow at the end of the labellum (hammer shaped part with hairs at the end at the top of the photo). This orchid is fertilised by a male insect mistaking the labellum for a female and grabbing the labellum and attempting to fly off.

The hinge of the  flower rotates the insect onto the pollen (yellow ball at middle left of the photo) before the startled insect flies off to try his luck with another orchid.

This Arthrochilus prolixus has been triggered clearly showing the labellum rotated down past the pollen.

The blue green rosette of Arthrochilus prolixus is quite distinctive. The leaves are usually about 50mm long and 10 to 15mm wide. Usually this orchid is found in large colonies.