Dubautia herbstobatae, a member of the Asteraceae (sunflower) family, is a small spreading shrub to 50 cm (20 in) tall. The shiny, leathery leaves are oppositely arranged, narrowly elliptic in outline, and 2 to 5.5 cm (0.8.to 2.2 in) long by 3 to 11 mm (0.1 to 0.4 in) wide. Leaves have one main vein and smooth or nearly smooth margins. There are 5 to 10 heads in an inflorescence each composed of 4 to 20 yellowish-orange, tubular florets, 3 to 5 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in) long. The fruit is a seed with a dry, unopening wall (an achene) covered with silky gray hair.