It has between two and five linear leaves and up to nine yellowish green, brownish or blackish flowers with two long, erect to spreading lateral sepals.Orthoceras strictum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a tuft of between two and five linear to thread-like, grass-like leaves, 150–300 mm (6–10 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide.

Flower colour varies from blackish, brownish, maroon to yellowish green.

[2][3][4] Orthoceras strictum was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in his book Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.

[8] The specific epithet (strictum) is a Latin word meaning "straight" or "tight".

[9] Orthoceras strictum is listed in Tasmania as "rare" under the Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.