The branches of A. elisabethae are pinnate and distichous, and will orient themselves in the direction of the ocean current.

[1][2] The compound that is believed to cause its beneficial effects is Pseudopterosin A, a diterpene glycoside,[3] a selective analgesic.

[4] A. elisabethae is also used in fish tanks as a part of the commercial pet industry.

[1] The female exposes her eggs to the water current by placing them on her reproductive polyps.

Once the larvae become free-swimming, they will usually settle near the parent organism, as they are negatively buoyant and will sink to the ocean floor, where they grow into adults and continue the cycle.