Prasophyllum elatum was first described in 1810 by Robert Brown in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. John Lindley noted in his 1840 book The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants that "My Swan River specimens of this are from 3 to 4 feet [90-100 cm] high, with a spike of flowers 9 inches [23 cm] long".
