Procumbent to weakly ascending subshrub, branching mostly from base; stems slender, 5–20(–30) cm long; stems scabrous, virtually glabrous, sometimes with a few short, tubercle-based hairs and glandular hairs, particularly on young growth. Leaves alternate, subopposite or in irregular whorls of 3, linear to linear-lanceolate, 2–8 mm long, 0.5–1.5(–2) mm wide, apex usually acute, mucronate, margins mostly revolute to midvein, both surfaces usually scabrous, lower surface with hairs along midvein and near margins. Flowers solitary in leaf axils; peduncles 1–3 mm long, elongating to c. 4 mm in fruit, glabrous. Sepals ovate, c. 1 mm long, deciduous. Petals obovate to ovate, 3–4.5(–5) mm long, lilac-pink or white, deciduous. Ovary 2- or less often 4-celled, hairy; ovules 1 per cell. Fruit obovate to obcordate, 2–4 mm long; seeds more or less oblong, 1.5–2.5 mm long. Flowers Oct.–Dec.
HSF, VAlp. Also Tas. Extremely rare in Victoria where currently known from only 2 sites at altitudes between 1070 and 1500 m in mountain country north of Heyfield. The habitat is low closed subalpine heathland on peaty soils or sphagnum near bogs and streams.
In Victoria this species is readily distinguished from the 2 subspecies of Tetratheca pilosa by its procumbent habit, almost glabrous stems and smaller, usually paler flowers on shorter pedicels. It also occupies a distinct geographical area and habitat. The situation in Tasmania is not quite so clear as the ranges of the 3 taxa overlap and intermediates have been observed.
