Rhomboda polygonoides is a terrestrial, tuberous, perennial herb with between five and nine purplish green to bronze coloured, narrow egg-shaped leaves with a broad central white stripe.

[2][3][4][5] The velvet jewel orchid was first formally described in 1873 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Goodyera polygonoides from a specimen collected near Rockingham Bay.

[8] The specific epithet (polygonoides) refers to a perceived similarity of this species to a plant in the genus Polygonum.

[9] In Australia the orchid has been recorded from three tropical rainforest locations in north-east Queensland between the Paluma Range and the Daintree River, at altitudes of 450 to 600 m above sea level, growing on the forest floor.

Plants have been collected in notophyll vine forest, on the tops of granite boulders, flat rocks and the rotting wood of fallen trees.