Platanthera holochila, a member of the Orchidaceae (orchid) familY, is an erect, deciduous herb. The stems arise from underground tubers and are 15 to 60 cm (6 to 24 in) long. The pale-green leaves, generally 4 to 12 cm (2 to 5 in) long and 1 to 3 cm (0.4 to 1 in) wide, are lance to egg-shaped. The greenish yellow flowers occur in open spikes. The back sepal is inversely egg-shaped and hooded and the lateral sepals are erect and elliptic. The lateral petals, 2 to 2.5 cm (1 in) long, are irregularly egg-shaped and enclosed by the sepals. The lowest petal is strap-like, about 3 mm (0.1 in) long, with a 3 to 5 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in) long spur at the base. The fruit is an ellipsoid capsule with six ribs.