Gerbera galpinii, is an upright perennial herb. Some plants grow singly, while others form clumps from short elongated underground stems, from which arise a number of leaves. The short rootstock is thick and silky-woolly with thick roots.

The leaves are erect, up to 250 mm long and 15 mm wide, with some of the petiole-like parts purplish. Leaf blades are leathery, hairless and have smooth, sometimes toothed margins.

The leafless flower-stalk is up to 350 mm tall, the lower part with a few scattered hairs and single head, tinged purplish. The ray flowers (florets on the margin of the flowerhead) are powder-pink, sometimes yellow, and usually female; the disc florets (central florets of the flowerhead) are magenta, and mostly hermaphroditic.

The fruit is a brown, dry, one-seeded capsule, with a ring of fine pinkish brown hairs on one end. Flowering takes place in spring and early summer, between September and December.