Plants epiphytic, climbing. Stems with pseudobulbs distributed 2-8 cm along conspicuous rhizome; pseudobulbs nearly cylindric to ovoid, 1.5-3 cm. Leaves 1 per shoot; blade lanceolate, 9-20 × 0.9-2 cm, almost leathery, apex acute. Inflorescences several, at base of mature shoots, less than 1 cm. Flowers white to light yellow [purplish in Jamaican populations] with yellow-orange lip; sepals ovate, 6-7 × 3-3.5 mm, leathery, apex acute; lateral sepals 1/3 connate; petals ovate-elliptic, 4.5-5 × 2-2.5 mm, apex keeled, acute; lip continuous with column foot, deltate to 3-lobate, 2.5-4 × 3 mm when spread, lateral lobes somewhat erect; callus a simple transverse ridge connecting lateral lobes; column cylindric, stout, less than 2.5 mm, foot less than 1 mm. Capsules 7-8 mm. Flowering fall. Epiphytic on Fraxinus caroliniana (pop-ash); 0--10[--1200] m; Fla.; Mexico; West Indies; Central America (to Honduras); South America. Maxillaria parviflora flowers in September in Florida and in November in Central America.

Maxillaria parviflora flowers in September in Florida and in November in Central America. The Florida occurrence is based on a collection by Roger Hammer from a single host tree; other unconfirmed sightings have been made. The several large plants reported by Hammer, the occurrence in Cuba, and the presence of other widespread tropical species locally leaves little doubt of the identity and presence of this outlier in the flora. The types of Scaphyglottis parviflora and Ornithidium confertum agree well with the Florida plant often recognized as Maxillaria conferta.