Prostrate perennial with a stout, vertical rootstock, also rooting at the lower nodes, much-branched from the base outwards to form mats up to c. 1 m across. Stem and branches at first densely villous with long white hairs, later glabrescent. Leaves broadly rhomboid-ovate to obovate, 1.5–4.5 x 0.3–2.7 cm, rounded or subacute at the apex with the mucro frequently bristle-like when young, attenuate below, glabrous or rather thinly appressed-hairy. Inflorescences sessile, commonly 2–3 together, 0.5–1.5 x 0.5–1 cm, globose to shortly cylindrical. Tepals extremely dissimilar: outer 2 (abaxial) deltoid-lanceolate, c. 5 mm., with a spinous arista; inner (adaxial) oblong, flat, c. 3 mm, strongly dentate at the apex, mucro short and fine; lateral tepals c. 2 mm, sinuate in lateral view with the two sides connivent; all tepals with tufts of glochidiate, barbellate hairs. Stamens 5, all with anthers, pseudostaminodes broad and quadrate or shorter, entire to dentate. Style as wide as or wider than long. Fruit roundish, c. 2 mm, rounded to retuse at the tip.