Upright rosettes of spoon-shaped leaves, tightly in silvery hair are produced along short rhizomes. These grow to approximately 20cm high. Upright leafless stems, also covered in silvery hair are produced in spring, each topped with a head of flowers approximately 3cm across. These heads are subtended (grow immediately below)a ring of tiny 'floral' leaves. The flowers produced in these heads have four petals in various blue shades, often a brilliant electric blue. Extending beyond the dome of petals (the 'cushion') are pale, purple-topped 'pins' made up of the fused sexual parts of the flower.
This is the only species in the genus Brunonia and Brunonia is the only genus in the family Brunoniaceae, however this is sometimes included in the Family Goodeniaceae to which it is obviously allied.