Erect perennial to c. 45 cm high, usually many-branched from base, glabrous to quite cottony on new growth. Leaves ±oblong, slightly tapered to base, 3–14 mm long, 1–2 mm wide; margins recurved, evenly serrate or sometimes toothed distally only. Inflorescences racemose, 0.5–1.2 (–2) cm long, terminal and sometimes also in upper axils (then sometimes appearing sub-paniculate), of 2–7 capitula; peduncles 0.5–5 (–8) mm long. Capitula highly subglobular to globular, 1.8–4 mm diam.; involucral bracts obovate, 1–1.5 mm long; receptacle distinctly convex. Female florets c. 80–150 in 5–8 rows; corolla c. 0.3 mm long. Bisexual florets 9–18; corolla 0.7–0.8 mm long. Fruiting capitula readily disintegrating; bracts widely spreading or reflexed; receptacle 0.8–1.2 mm diam., with a pith layer contained entirely within the dome. Achenes narrowly cuneoid, 0.8–1.1 mm long, at least 3 times as long as wide, truncate, strongly 4-angled to apex, appressed-ciliate on angles, the intervening faces with row of similar hairs down centre; apical process of pericarp not conspicuously thickened.
Grows on floodplains and margins of watercourses, gilgais, or other water-retentive sites, with clayey, sandy or rocky substrates.
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