Keysseria erici is a short, rhizomatous perennial herb in the Asteraceae (sunflower) family. Stalks are tinged purple, 3 to 15 cm (1.2 to 6 in) long, hirtellous (pubescent with minute and somewhat rigid hairs) and villous (covered with soft, shaggy unmated) hairs. Leaves form an oblong basal rosette, 0.8 to 1.3 cm (0.3 to 0.5 in) long, 0.2 to 0.5 cm (0.08 to 0.2 in) wide, and with golden or purplish hairs. Flower heads are solitary, 6 to 10 mm (0.2 to 0.4 in) in diameter, with rays white or sometimes tinged purple, entire or deeply and asymmetrically lobed, with globose glands. Corollas are yellow, lobed, 1.8 to 2.7 mm (0.07 to 0.1 in) long, with globose glands. Achenes (a dry one-seeded indehiscent fruit) are somewhat compressed, with a conspicuous cartilaginous ring at maturity, 1.2 to 1.7 mm (0.05 to 0.07 in) long, and with globose glands near the apex.