Erect herb 0.2–0.45 m high. Leaves filiform; lamina 5–34 mm long, 0.2–1 mm wide. Inflorescence: receptacle 1.5–2.5 mm long at first, to 4 mm long in fruit; involucral bracts ovate, 3.5–7 mm long, 2–5 mm wide, green and usually partly purplish; peduncle usually 4–10 cm long. Flowers pink or rarely purplish white; pedicel to 2.2 mm long. Hypanthium 4–10.5 mm long, with hairs 0.5–1 mm long on ovary-portion or rarely glabrous. Sepals spreading, 1.1–1.6 mm long. Stamens shorter or longer than sepals; anthers 0.4–0.7 mm long, yellow to orange.
Occurs in sandy soil, associated with watercourses or in seepage areas, usually recorded in sandstone areas.