These minute plants are perennial succulents and are just visible above the soil surface in their natural habitat. Plants comprise a cluster of succulent leaves windowed at the tips, with a short, thickened rootstock underground. Stems are much reduced and during periods of drought the plants shrink in size as a result of moisture loss. They sometimes even disappear below the grit under adverse conditions, making them very difficult to find. The shrinkage is achieved by means of leaf cells arranged in columnar rows. When moisture is lost and the contents shrink, the tangential cell walls contract, drawing the plants deeper into the soil avoiding desiccation during the dry winter months or in times of drought.

The single flowers are bright magenta with a white or light yellow centre and are 25 - 35 mm in diameter and are borne on very short stalks or are stalkless. The five sepals are unequal and closely resemble the cylindrical leaves. Petals number between 30 and 45 and usually have blunt, rounded tips.

Fruits are quite robust, spongy capsules resembling a barrel and open when wetted and close when dry (hygrochastic capsules), releasing the seed.