Endemic to Western Australia, it is one of the most common shrubs of the bushland around Perth and in the Darling Range.

The shrub typically grows to a height of 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) branches freely, and has flexuose and spine-tipped pale green branchlets and 1 mm (0.039 in) stipules.

The crustaceous seed pods that form after flowering have a narrowly oblong shape and are flat or slightly undulate with a length of 1.5 to 5 cm (0.59 to 1.97 in) and a width of 3 to 5 mm (0.12 to 0.20 in).The brown seeds inside are mostly oblong and 2.5 to 4.5 mm (0.098 to 0.177 in) in length.

[2] The range of the plant extends from around Geraldton in the north down to near Esperance in the east and to coastal areas in the west and south.

[3] Recent research suggests that A. pulchella may in some circumstances suppress the plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi.