It is a prostrate, clumping or straggling shrub with pinnatifid, pinnatipartite or toothed leaves, and toothbrush-like clusters of light green to yellowish and purplish to black flowers with a dull yellow to pink style.

The flowers are arranged in toothbrush-like clusters on a rachis 35–60 mm (1.4–2.4 in) long and are light green to yellowish on the outside and purplish to black inside with a dull yellow to pink style, the pistil 12–16 mm (0.47–0.63 in) long.

Flowering occurs from August to November and the fruit is a silky-hairy follicle 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in) long.

[2][3][4] Grevillea obtecta was first formally described in 1985 by Bill Molyneux in the journal Muelleria from specimens collected near Taradale in 1977.

[2] This species is listed as "endangered" under the Victorian Government Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 and as "Rare in Victoria" on the Department of Sustainability and Environment's Advisory List of Rare Or Threatened Plants In Victoria.