Erect rigid plant up to 1m with short overlapping branches. Leaves are strong, curved with a sharp tip; small white ovoid to cup-shaped flowers, calycine (calyx enlarged and predominant over the corolla), with exserted anthers. This species has a superficial resemblence to Erica imbricata.

Greek: desmos = bunch, anthos = flower, referring to the bunched arrangement of the flowers.