Plant a compact multi-branched cushion up to 50(-70) cm diameter and 5-7.5 cm high. Branches leafy for much of length with c. 5-8 pairs of green leaves and numerous persistent, pale brown dead leaves below; internodes (0.1-)0.3-5(-10 .5) mm long. Leaves rigid, spreading to ascending and ± imbricate; sheath (0.6-)1.5-2.5 mm long; blade subulate, (1.4-)4-9(-11) mm long (including the translucent tip), (0.6-)1(-1.4) mm wide, with colourless borders c. 0.1 mm wide, becoming ± channelled when dry, gradually narrowed into a ± acicular tip (0 .3-)0 .5-1(-1 .9) mm long. Inflorescence a solitary flower on a bracteolate peduncle, lateral near branch apex. Flowers predominantly 5-merous, 3.5-5.5 mm diameter. Sepals (4)5, persistent, ovate or ovate-triangular (sometimes broadly), (1.7-)2-5 × 1.2-2.6 mm, margins ± membranous, keel not thickened, inconspicuous, apex usually acute and ± apiculate. Petals 0. Stamens (4)5, (2 .3-)3-5(-7.8) mm long; anthers pale yellow. Ovary ovoid, ovules (9-)25(-44); styles 4 or 5, 1-3.5 mm long. Peduncles ± hidden amongst leaves or shortly exserted at fruiting, (1.1-)3-11(- 19) mm long, with 1(2 or 3) pairs of leaflike bracteoles; bracteoles (1.4-)2-5(-7.5) mm long with a shortly apiculate to acicular tip 0.1-0.5(-0.9) mm long. Capsule splitting to c. half-way, 4- or 5-valved, valves from 1 mm shorter to 1.5 mm longer than sepals. Seeds brown, shiny, colliculate dorsally to ± smooth laterally, ± obliquely reniform, (0.5-)0.7(- 0.85) mm long, (0.4–)0 .5(–0.7) mm wide. FL Nov–Jan; FT Jan–Mar.

Plant forming cushions to c. 50(–70) cm diameter (large cushions may be formed from the coalescence of several individuals). Leaf blade (1.4–)4–7(–9) mm long including a shortly acicular tip (0.3–)0.5(–0.9) mm long. Sepals mostly 2.5–3.5 mm long, predominantly white at anthesis (with a pale green median strip abaxially) but becoming pale green at fruiting, the apex occasionally cucullate, often with a small apiculus 0.1- 0.3(-0.4) mm long. Stamens (3-)5(-7.8) mm long. Ovary white to yellowish at flowering becoming pale green at fruiting; styles 1.5-3.5 mm long. Peduncles (1.1-)3-6(-12.7) mm long at fruiting; bracteoles (1.4-)2-3(-3.7) mm long with a short apiculate tip 0.1-0.3(-0.4) mm long.

Similar to C. squarrosus Cheeseman subsp. squarrosus in the channelled, inconspicuously bordered leaves, but differs in the greener flowers, more clearly apiculate sepals, and included to only shortly exserted stamens. Styles 1–2 mm long. Plant forming cushions to c. 25 cm diam. Leaf blade (3–)5–9(–11) mm long including an acicular tip (0.5–) 1(–1.9) mm long. Sepals 3–5 mm long, predominantly pale green with translucent or whitish margins, apex with an apiculus 0.2–0.5(-0.6) mm long. Stamens (2.3–)3.5(–5) mm long. Ovary green at flowering; styles 1–2 mm long. Peduncles (2.3–)3–11(–19) mm long at fruiting; bracteoles 3–5(–7.5) mm long with an apiculate to acicular tip (0.2–)0.5(–0.9) mm long.

Foliis canaliculatis et inconspicue marginatis C. squarroso Cheeseman subsp. squarroso similis, autem floribus pro parte maxima dilut e viridibus, sepalis manifestius apiculatis, staminibus inclusis ad solum breviter exsertis distinguenda. Styli 1–2 mm longi.