Aphyllorchis queenslandica is a leafless, terrestrial mycotrophic herb that has a thin, fleshy purple flowering stem 300–700 mm (10–30 in) long with white flecks.

The plants lack true leaves but have colourless, leaf-like bracts on the flowering stem, each bract 5–30 mm (0.2–1 in) long and 6–11 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide with three longitudinal, parallel veins.

[2][3] Aphyllorchis queenslandica was first described in 1965 by Alick William Dockrill from a specimen collected near Helenvale and the description was published in The Orchadian.

[4] The yellow pauper orchid is found between Cooktown and Babinda from close to sea level up to an altitude of about 400 m (1,000 ft).

[2][3] This species is listed as "Near threatened" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.