Roughly glandular, tufted shrublet forming clumps up to 30cm. Leaves crowded at the base, narrowly-oblanceolate to oblanceolate, toothed margins; flowers radiate, solitary on elongated stalks, white rays with purple to copper on the reverse and a purple disc of florets.

This species differs from D. nudicaulis var. nudicaulis in having oblanceolate leaves.

This genus produces 2 types of seed from the same flower; one type is dispersed by wind, the other type falls directly on to the ground beneath the plant.