It is a variable shrub with flattened stems, egg-shaped to linear leaves, and yellow and dark red flowers.

Bossiaea heterophylla is a shrub that typically grows to a height of up to about 3 m (9.8 ft) and has flattened, glaucous, more or less glabrous branches 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) wide.

Flowering occurs from April to June and the fruit is a flat pod 20–40 mm (0.79–1.57 in) long.

[2][3][4][5] Bossiaea heterophylla was first formally described in 1800 by Étienne Pierre Ventenat in his book, Description des Plantes Nouvelles et peu connues, cultivées dans le Jardin de J.M.

[3][4][5][9][10] This bossiaea is listed as "endangered" in Tasmania under the Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.