Caladenia cruscula is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which grows as solitary plants or in loose clumps.

The sepals and petals are held stiffly and spread obliquely downwards and are 3–5 cm (1–2 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide, tapering to a thread-like end with a densely glandular tip.

[2][3][4][5] Caladenia cruscula was first formally described by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown in 2001 from a specimen collected by Alex George in the Kau Rock Nature Reserve north east of Esperance.

[1] The specific epithet (cruscula) is a Latin word meaning "little leg"[6] and refers to the relatively short sepals and petals of this species, compared to those of similar orchids.

[2][4] The reclining spider orchid is found between Salmon Gums and Mount Ragged in the Coolgardie, Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions.