Chrysocoma ciliata is a shrub that grows to a height of 60 cm.

The plant occurs throughout South Africa with the exception of Limpopo and also in Lesotho, Mozambique, and Namibia.

[1] In the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape it occurs along with the fynbos on rocky slopes and rocky plains.

[2] The plant has slender stems with dense leaves.

The leaves are narrow or acicular with stiff hairs on the edges and stand semi-erect.