Scrambling, much branched shrub with ribbed, minutely glandular, often tomentose young shoots. Leaves with petiole 5–15 mm long; lamina elliptic-obovate to ± elliptic, 4–15 cm long, 1.5–6 (–7) cm wide, attenuate, entire, acuminate or acute to subobtuse, tomentose when young then glandular abaxially. Capitula cylindrical, 5–7-flowered, c. 1 cm long, borne in a large, terminal or axillary elongate, thyrsoid synflorescense; peduncles to 8 mm long; involucre cylindrical, 4-seriate, 6–8 mm long; bracts coriaceous, boat-shaped, minutely ciliate-margined, glandular distally; outer bracts ovate, acuminate, later patent; inner bracts oblong, recurved. Florets creamy-white or pale to light yellow; corolla 6–7 mm long; tube slender; lobes lanceolate, acute, glandular. Achenes narrowly oblong-turbinate, 3–4 mm long, c. 10-ribbed, glabrous to ±densely glandular or eglandular. Pappus uniseriate; bristles 6–7 mm long, ± reddish on drying.
In Queensland climbing to the canopy of Melaleuca leucodendra near mangrove zone in sandy/silty soil. Appears to be salt tolerant and a potential major environmental weed. [The weed status may require reassessment in light of this species now being considered as native-Editor, 5 August 2020]
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