Dubautia pauciflorula, a member of the Asteraceae (sunflower) family, is a somewhat sprawling shrub or small erect tree up to 3 m (10 ft) tall, with narrowly lance-shaped or elliptic leaves, broadest above middle, 8 to 21 cm (3 to 8 in) long and 1.2 to 3.2 cm (0.5 to 1.3 in) wide, and clustered toward the ends of the stems. There are 50 to 500 flower heads in a purplish, open, pyramidal inflorescence 8 to 30 cm (3 to 12 in) long and 6 to 30 cm (2 to 12 in) wide. Each head comprises two to four yellow florets 2.5 to 3.5 mm (0.1 to 0.15 in) long. The fruits are small, dry seeds (achenes) about 3 mm (0.1 in) long, with a crown of slender bristles (pappus) 2.5 to 3.5 mm (0.1 to 0.15 in) long.