Shrub 0.3–1.0 m tall but reaching 2.0 m in shade, multi-stemmed, decumbent; bark grey and finely fissured. Leaves spreading and crowded at the tips of branches, sheathing at base; sheath glaucous to light green, 4–9 × 4–8 mm, coriaceous, striate, shoulder rounded to truncate, margin ciliate; lamina coriaceous, glaucous to light green, linear-triangular, 21–50 × (1.0–)1.3–2.5 mm, slightly concave, surfaces minutely verrucose and covered in short, white scabrid caducous hairs; margin serrulate, with 10–13 teeth per cm; apex triquetrous. Inflorescence an oblong raceme terminating lateral branchlets, dense, (13–)19–23(–28) mm long with (3–)6–9 flowers; inflorescence bracts persistent, longer than flower, coriaceous, subulate, 13.9–22.2 × 0.7–0.9 mm at base, rugose with serrulate margin; flower bract persistent, shorter than flower, coriaceous, keeled, broadly ovate, (4.5–)6.5– 8.0 × (2.5–)3–4 mm, adaxial surface scabrid in distal third, abaxial surface with scabrid hairs; margin white, ciliate; apex acute. Pedicel 1.5–2.0 mm long. Sepals green, ovate-lanceolate, (4–)5–6 × (1.5–) 2.0– 3.0 mm, shorter than corolla tube, adaxial surface glabrous with scabrid hairs at apex; abaxial surface with scattered scabrid hairs; margin white, ciliate; apex acute. Corolla white; tube cylindrical with mouth narrowed, 5.5–6.5 × 2.0–2.5 mm, glabrous; lobes reflexed, triangular, shorter than corolla tube, 1.8–2.0 × 1.5–2.0 mm, apex inflexed, subacute, adaxial surface papillate, abaxial surface glabrous. Stamens epipetalous, in upper third of corolla tube, filaments 0.5 mm long; anthers light yellow, oblong, 1 mm long, included. Nectary scales separate, rectangular, 1.0–1.2 × 0.6–0.7 mm, apex truncate and emarginate to variously toothed, glabrous; ovary ± obovate, 1.5 × 1.5 mm, glabrous; style enclosed, 1.5 mm long, glabrous; stigma 5-lobed. Capsule pedicellate, light brown, (2.7–)3.5–4.0 × 2.5– 2.7 mm, obovoid, glabrous, enclosed in persistent sepals; style persistent; seed yellowish brown, ovoid, 0.8–1.0 mm long, surface prominantly reticulate. FL Jan–Mar; FR Mar–May.

D. filifolia similis sed habitu multicaule, caulibus decumbentibus, foliis glaucis, minute verrucosulis, juventute pilis scabridis tectis, flores pedicellati, bracteis florum carinatis, flore brevioribus, superficie abaxiali scabrido, sepalis tubo corollae brevioribus, 2–3 mm latis, superficie abaxiali cum pilis scabridis remotis, ore tubi corollae constricto, ovario obovato differt.