It has two to four leaves at its base and up to thirty white flowers with thread-like lobes on the labellum.

[2] Habenaria propinquior was first formally described in 1871 by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach from a specimen collected at Rockingham Bay and the description was published in his book Beitrage zur Systematischen Pflanzenkunde.

[1][3] The specific epithet (propinquior) is derived from the Latin word propinquus meaning "near" or "neighbouring".

[4] The common rein orchid grows in sandy heath which is covered by water in the wet season.

It is found on the Cape York Peninsula and as far south as Rockhampton, also occurring on some islands in the Torres Strait.