It has a single heart-shaped leaf and a single dark green or light green flower with reddish maroon streaks and blotches and long, thread-like lateral sepals and petals.

There is a single erect, dark green or light green flower with reddish maroon streaks and blotches on a peduncle 0.5–8 mm (0.02–0.3 in) long and reaching to a height of 12–30 mm (0.5–1 in).

The lateral sepals are thread-like, whitish or reddish and 13–46 mm (0.5–2 in) long.

[3] This spider orchid grows at altitudes of between 1,000 and 1,100 m (3,000 and 4,000 ft) in leaf litter in southern beech forest and in scrub or grass tussocks.

[2][3] Corybas confusus is classified as "not threatened" by the New Zealand Government Department of Conservation Threat Classification System.