Small tree or shrub, 0.8-4 m tall, lignotuberous. Branchlets and young leaves appressed-sericeous, quickly glabrescent. Leaves rigid, elliptic in cross-section, narrowly linear,-elliptic or-obovate, 1-4 cm long, 2-5 mm wide, narrowly attenuate, entire or dentate with 3-5 teeth or segments per side towards apex; mucro 1-2 mm long. Inflorescence with 16-36 flowers; involucre 4.5 mm long; internal bracts densely ferruginous apically; rachis 2.5-4 mm long, hirsute; pedicels 2-4 mm long. Perianth 2.5-3.5 mm long, white. Pistil 4-5 mm long; ovary glabrous; gland present. Fruit obliquely ovate, 1.6-2 cm long, 0.7-1 cm wide, glabrous, coarsely tuberculate or smooth; horns to 3.5 mm long. Seed obliquely elliptic, 11-14 mm long; wing partly down one side of seed body only.
Occurs in swampy, winter-wet areas, often with Melaleuca or with Viminaria juncea shrubland, or in low shrubland or heath in sand or sandy loam.