It has prominently winged stems, most of its leaves at the base, and heads of yellow florets surrounding by papery, white involucral bracts.

Ammobium alatum is a species of perennial herb, occasional an annual, that typically grows to a height of 60–100 cm (24–39 in) with winged, woolly-hairy, usually much-branched stems.

Flowering mainly occurs from November to April and the cypselas are linear, wrinkled and dark brown with an awn up to 1 mm (0.039 in) long.

Records of this species in natural habitats are from eucalypt forests in plateau and rocky cliffs in northern New South Wales, from river banks in the upper Snowy River in Victoria, from the Northern Tablelands and North West Slopes of New South Wales and from south-east Queensland.

[4] Robert Brown found it "growing plentifully near the shores of Port Hunter (or the Coal River) in New South Wales" in 1804.