It is an erect annual plant that grows from 30 to 40 cm tall.

This species generally has three to four scapes and cymose inflorescences that are 28–39 cm long.

S. stenophyllum is endemic to the far northeastern Northern Territory of Australia and is only known from the type location.

It has only been recorded from one sandstone monolith known as a beehive formation (so named due to its shape) where less than 100 clumps of plants survive at the concentration of about 10 individual plants per clump.

Its typical habitat is in the deep crevices of the sandstone beehive formations.