It is similar to the other species of Calectasia and is distinguished from them mainly by the hairiness of its leaves and the glabrousness of the throat of the flowers.

Calectasia hispida is an undershrub without stilt roots but with a short rhizome from which it is able to form clones.

Each leaf blade is 3.9–10.3 x 0.4–0.7 mm tapering to a short, sharp point on the end and hispid (that is, covered with rigid, bristly hairs).

The base of the petals (strictly tepals) form a tube 6.8–9.0 mm long, which, unlike most others in the genus, is glabrous.

In the centre of the star are six yellow stamens forming a tube which turns orange-red with age.