Rhizanthella slateri, or the eastern underground orchid, is a terrestrial saprophytic orchid with a fleshy underground stem 15 cm long and 15 mm diameter. Rhizanthella slateri ranges from southeastern Queensland to the south coast of New South Wales. In NSW, it is currently only known from fewer than 10 locations, including near Bulahdelah, the Watagan Mountains, the Blue Mountains, Wisemans Ferry area, Agnes Banks and near Nowra. At each location, only a few individuals are known. However, Rhizanthella slateri is difficult to detect; it is usually located when the soil is disturbed, and there may well be more locations of the species within its known range. The species grows in eucalypt forest but no informative assessment of the likely preferred habitat for the species is available.