Spreading subshrub, to c. 30 cm high, 50 cm diam., branches with dense, fine, spreading hairs c. 0.5 mm long. Leaves narrowly oblong, 6–20 mm long, flat or slightly concave above, convex below, covered with semi-appressed long, silky hairs. Fruiting perianth densely long-silky pubescent, readily detaching from stem; tube turbinate, flattened, c. 2 mm long, weakly 4–6-ribbed, centrally attached at base, attachment circular, concave; limb erect, membranous, c. 1.5 mm long; spines 3 or 4, outcurved, the 2 abaxial 5–10 mm long, the adaxial 1 or 2 conspicuously shorter (if 2 then usually unequal), all long-silky to just below apex. Fruits Jul., Oct. (2 records).
MuM, VRiv, MSB, RobP. Also WA, NT, SA, Qld, NSW. Very rare in Victoria, known from a few alluvial flats or lakeside lunettes supporting chenopod shrublands, with or without Black Box (Eucalyptus largiflorens) overstorey. Recorded from between Hattah and Mildura, and Sandhill Lake near Kerang.
