Shrub to 1 m high; stems glabrous; nodes prominent. Leaves opposite, shortly petiolate, usually narrowly elliptic, 3–15 mm long, 1–6 mm wide, concolorous, usually bluish-green, glabrous; apex deflexed-mucronate. Inflorescence terminal, usually erect, a 7–many-flowered head; involucral bracts 4, sessile, more or less ovate, 6–16 mm long, 2–8 mm wide, glabrous outside, green; inner pair of bracts hairy inside, fringed. Flowers bisexual, glabrous inside, white or creamy white; floral tube 8–14 mm long, ovary-portion glabrous, style-portion longer than ovary-portion, with short hairs outside, circumscissile above ovary; sepals spreading, 2–4 mm long, glabrous inside; pedicel hairy; stamens shorter than sepals; anthers opening laterally; style exserted. Fruit dry, enclosed. Flowers mainly spring.