Much-branched intricate glabrous shrub 0.3–1 m high. Branches straight or flexuose, terete, sometimes angled, striate, glaucous to subglaucous, sometimes green. Stipules linear to linear-triangular, 1–3 mm long. Phyllodes continuous with branchlets, sometimes decurrent and forming narrow wings at base of stems or on regrowth plants; free portion of phyllodes shallowly recurved to straight, flat to pentagonal or terete, 2–10 (–20) mm long, narrowed towards apex, spinose, rigid, glaucous to subglaucous, 5-veined; main veins prominent; adaxial margin 2-veined; gland 1–2.5 (–5) mm above base. Inflorescences very reduced 1–3-headed racemes, sometimes growing out at anthesis; peduncles 3–10 (–12) mm long, recurved from base in fruit; heads globular, 15–24-flowered, light golden. Flowers 5-merous, a few 4-merous; sepals shallowly or deeply united. Pods linear, straight-edged or a little constricted between seeds, alternately raised over seeds, to 8 cm long, 3–5 mm wide, coriaceous-crustaceous, pruinose when young. Seeds longitudinal, broadly oblong to oblong-elliptic, 2.5–3 mm long; aril large.
Grows in sand, loam and sandy clay, often with gravel, in heath, open scrub and shrubland.
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