This very striking perennial herb grows from a deep taproot with above ground parts to 50cm in height. It occurs infrequently as part of the Coastal Heathland along our coastal cliff top but is also found in Victorian Plains Grassland and Grassy Woodland. It therefore once may have occurred in the Grassland along the Jan Juc cliff top. The name Ptilotus means feathery; giving rise to its common name whilst the species name of macrocephalus refers to the large flower head.
Leaves are thick, narrow obovate to linear and mostly held at the base of the plant in a tight group approaching a rosette, as well as sparsely along the lower parts of the flower stem.
Flower heads appear in spring on flower stems that are considerably longer than the leaves; the dense woolly hairs arising from each 5-lobed flower part technically known as tepals which are specialised flower parts replacing petals and sepals.
The seed of this plant appears to suffer greatly from insect attack and low fecundity with fertile seed not common.