Root parasite up to 10cm with only the flower appearing above ground. Leaves scale-like. Flowers cup-like in sessile clusters, orange to red or dark purple; petals are fleshy and velvety with fringed margins; sexes on separate plants.

Produces thousands of dust-like seeds. The seedlings will die unless they can attach themselves to a host root within a few days of germination.

Parasitic mostly on shrubby Asteraceae.