This spikey African thistle is a long-living herb, characterized by elongated, woody, underground stems that grow horizontally beneath the surface, producing roots and aerial stems. The stems can grow to about 1 m in height, with a large, corymbose panicle inflorescence. The leaves of Berkheya griquana grow up to approximately 180 x 30 mm in size. The leaf shape ranges from having a rounded apex and tapering base, to being rounded at each end with parallel sides, with leaf tips that are generally sharp. All the leaves have long, sharp spikes and fine hairs. The lower leaves taper into the petiole, while the upper leaves remain broader. The leaf margins vary from faintly to distinctly lobed. The indentations between the lobes are relatively serrated, with spikes that are about 7 mm long. The leaf edges are also armed, with shorter spikes. The upper side of the leaf has finer, shorter hairs with some longer, coarser hairs while the under side of the leaf has hairs only along the leaf veins.

Fig. 2. Leaves of Berkheya griquana.

The flower head is daisy-like, approximately 40 mm in diameter. There are between 10-13 involucral bracts present, which are approximately 1.5-2 mm in length. The involucral bracts are narrow and parallel-sided in the middle and taper to a slender base with an acute tip. The edges of the bracts are very spikey, typically in threes, with gland-tipped hairs. The spikes are approximately 2.5-4 mm in length. The flowers of Berkheya griquana are about 12 mm in length and radiantly yellow. The fruit is an achene, about 2.5 mm in length. The dry, one-seeded fruit is shaped like an inverted cone, with fine hairs and does not open to release seeds. The fruit also has about 10 pappus scales that are separate, 0.75 mm in length, with short and relatively sharp tips.

Fig. 3. Involucral bracts of Berkheya griquana.

Berkheya griquana is similar to Berkheya bergiana, however, it is differentiated from the latter species, which has rough glandular hairs on the upper surface of the leaves and pappus scales that are 0.2-0.5 mm in length.