Nervilia holochila is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb which grows in colonies with only a few individuals producing flowers in any one year.

Up to six pink, greenish or cream-coloured flowers 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) long and wide are borne on a flowering stem 150–250 mm (6–10 in) tall.

[2][3] The ribbed shield orchid was first formally described in 1866 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the namePogonia holochila and published the description in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.

[6] The specific epithet (holochila) is derived from the ancient Greek words holos (ὅλος) meaning "whole" and cheilos (χεῖλος) meaning "lip".

[7] The ribbed shield orchid occurs in the northern Kimberley region of Western Australia, northern parts of the Northern Territory, on the Cape York Peninsula as far south as Bowen and on some of the islands in the Torres Strait.