Calotis dentex is an upright, perennial, multi-branched, understory shrub to 80 cm (31 in) high with smooth or slightly hairy, brown stems.

The cauline leaves are lance to oblong-shaped, 2–9 cm (0.79–3.54 in) long, 4–11 mm (0.16–0.43 in) wide, margins variable, lobed, toothed, sometimes entire, sessile and with occasional hairs.

Flowering occurs from October to April and the fruit is a flattened, reddish brown cypsela with several spines 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long.

[2][3] Calotis dentex was first formally described in 1820 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Consisting of Coloured Figures of Exotic Plants, Cultivated in British Gardens; with their History and Mode of Treatmentand the type specimen was collected at Sydney by Robert Brown.

[4][5] White burr-daisy grows mostly on clay soils in grasslands and open forests in New South Wales and Queensland.