The shiny grasstree grows no discernible trunk, though it may have multiple crowns.

The small white flowers are about 3 mm wide and grow in tight clusters, appearing between January and February.

[1] The grasstree is endemic to Tasmania and is known only from a small number of sites between Narawntapu National Park in the Asbestos Range and Mount William in the north-eastern corner of the State.

It grows on sandy, coastal heath soils, which are often acidic and waterlogged.

Threats include infection by Phytophthora cinnamomi, land clearance, inappropriate burning regimes and foliage harvesting.