[2] Each new growth begins halfway along the previous year's pseudobulbs, making the plant longer each year.

Inflorescences appear at the upper portion of the plant and are pendulous, about 10 cm long and bear up to 40 flowers each 1.5 cm in diameter.

It grows as an epiphyte and sometimes as a semi-terrestrial plant at elevations to 2,400 meters.

[3] John Lindley named this species Eria polyura in 1841 in Edwards's Botanical Register.

[1][4] It was moved to the genus Pinalia in 1892 by Otto Kuntze.