It is a dense, spreading, rounded shrub with hairy narrowly linear to oblong more or less glabrous, greyish-green phyllodes, oblong to shortly cylindrical heads of golden yellow flowers, and pods more or less like a string of beads up to 35 mm (1.4 in) long.

[2][3][4][5] Acacia ashbyae was first formally described in 1974 by the botanist Bruce Maslin in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected by Alison Marjorie Ashby near Naraling in 1972.

[2][6] The specific epithet (ashbyae) honours the collector of the type specimens and "who, for many years, has made valuable collections of the Western Australian flora".

[2][7] This species of wattle occurs on sandy and loamy soils along roadsides, on rocky rises and sandplains from near Nerren Nerren Station north of the Murchison River to Naraling and near Mullewa, and in the Coorow area, in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains and Yalgoo IBRA bioregions.

[5][3] Acacia ashbyae is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.