Sparsely branched shrublet up to 50cm with almost hairless branches. Leaves are rough-textured 10-15mm long, leaf margins are rolled under; bears yellowish flowers in dense spikes, subtended by buff feathery (plumose) bracts longer than the leaves; petals are cup-shaped.

Latin: pluma = the downy part of a feather; referring to the feathery bracts of this species.