Perennial, dwarf succulent with fleshy roots branching laterally; plants retracting into sandy soil by means of contractile leaves shrinking lengthways during dry winter months, leaving holes marking their presence. Stems single, short, up to 10 mm long. Leaves arranged spirally, dull green to brown-green with a purple tinge in dry winter months, highly succulent, up to 15 mm long, cylindrical, covered by waxy idioblasts arranged in distinct rows, tips windowed, with concave centre and conspicuous crenulate markings along perimeter. Flowers single, 15-20 mm diam., white or very pale pink, with yellow centre, opening during mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Pollinated flowers turn yellow or salmon-orange. Sepals 5, unequal, resembling leaves, united to form a short tube. Petals 20-30 per flower, arranged in several whorls, tips mostly acuminate, sometimes rounded. Staminodes petaloid to filiform, surrounding several whorls of stamens. Hypanthium formed by fused bases of petals, staminodes and stamens. Nectaries 5, free, dark green, crenulate. Ovary slightly conical above; stigmas 5 or 6, very short. Fruit a capsule, 5-or 6-locular, barrelshaped, very fragile, breaking up when ripe and then dispersing seeds; valves opening to an upright position, valve wings absent, valve margins recurved when fully open; expanding keels light yellow-brown, parallel, with diverging tips and torn margins; covering membranes reduced to a ledge; closing bodies absent. Seeds red-brown, small, covered by small tubercles.
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