A deciduous geophyte with a small turnip-shaped tuber, up to 25cm in height when in flower. Large variation in leaf shape; leaves may be obovate, lanceolate, finely divided or widely spathulate, often with two or more leaf types occurring during development of the plant; leaves usually dry or absent at flowering.

Flowers in pseudo-umbels of 2 to 6 flowers, white, cream-coloured or pink with conspicuous wine-red blotches on the posterior petals. The flower stalk is hirsute with short appressed curly hairs interspersed with dense, long glandular hairs and sparse to dense, patent eglandular hairs.

Very similar to Pelargonium longifolium but distinguished by the wine-red blotches on the posterior petals and by the type of the hairs on the flower stalk.

Greek: psammo = sand; philo = loving; referring to the sandy habitat of this species.