Procumbent to ascending, usually shortly rhizomatous perennial, to c. 30 cm high, usually many-branched from near base, densely white-or grey-cottony at least on young growth. Leaves narrowly obtrullate to ±oblong, 6–20 mm long, 1.5–2.5 (–4) mm wide, distally with 3–5 (–7) teeth or narrow lobes, ±concolorous. Inflorescence a single sessile capitulum, terminal at anthesis, but subtending vegetative buds often growing out and overtopping capitulum in fruit. Capitula ±globular, 1.5–3 (–4) mm diam.; involucral bracts obovate, 0.7–1 mm long; receptacle ±matchhead-shaped (usually as high as or higher than wide). Female florets c. 160–250 in 6–10 rows; corolla c. 0.2 mm long. Bisexual florets 11–20; corolla c. 0.4 mm long. Fruiting capitula readily disintegrating; bracts reflexed; receptacle 0.9–1.3 mm diam., with a pith layer contained entirely within the dome. Achenes narrowly clavate to narrowly cuneoid, 0.8–1.1 mm long, 0.2–0.3 mm wide, truncate at apex, smooth or scabridulous, weakly to strongly 4 (–6)-angled, with angles ciliate; pericarp very thin between ribs with brown seed testa apparent, thickened and opaque in distal 20%.
Occurs in seasonally inundated depressions and on floodplains, commonly around lagoons, billabongs and beside watercourses, mostly on alluvial silts.
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