Verticordia penicillaris is a spreading shrub which grows to a height of 15–40 cm (6–20 in) and up to 2 m (7 ft) wide, sometimes with its lowest branches taking root in the soil.

[2] Verticordia penicillaris was first formally described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1859 from a specimen collected by Augustus Oldfield and the description was published in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.

[1][3] The specific epithet (penicillaris) is a Latin word meaning "of a little tail" or "of a painter's brush"[4] referring to the brush-like tip of the styles.

[5] This verticordia is found between the Kalbarri National Park, the Arrowsmith River and Mullewa where it usually grows in shallow, gritty soil in areas that are wet in winter[2] in the Avon Wheatbelt and Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic regions.

[6][7] Verticordia penicillaris is classified as "Priority Four" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife,[6] meaning that is rare or near threatened.