The specific epithet confertum refers to this species' crowded cluster of leaves at the base of the stem.

Linear or deltate leaves, about 15–100 per plant, are scattered along the elongate, glabrous stem.

S. confertum is only known from a couple populations in the wet tropic of northern Queensland from Tully and Cooktown.

Its habitat is recorded as being damp, rocky creekbanks or open rock faces that are dominated by mosses and other species such as Micraira subulifolia and grow at altitudes from 100 to 880 metres.

S. confertum is most closely related to S. fissilobum but differs mostly in the amount of leaves present at the base of the stem and corolla shape and size.