Erect or ascending herb to 60 cm high, often clump-forming. Lower leaves crowded, oblanceolate to elliptic, 5–10 cm long, 1.5–3.5 cm wide, acute or obtuse, margins entire to shallowly sinuate and toothed; upper leaves elliptic to lanceolate in outline, 5–20 cm long, 1.5–6 cm wide, acute, base auriculate, margins sinuate to pinnatisect, toothed. Capitula 1–2 cm diam.; involucral bracts to c. 20 mm long; outer bracts with a row of fleshy spines near base. Ligules 6–10 mm long. Cypselas 4–8 mm long, glabrous; pappus 7–13 mm long. Flowers mainly Sep.–Mar.
GleP, Brid, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, CVU, EGL, WPro, OtR, Strz. Also WA, SA, Qld, NSW, Tas. Locally common on dunes and cliffs of exposed coasts.