Plant is an upright perennial with a woody stem, slightly hairy or smooth. Preferred habitat is roadsides, thin pine woods, slopes and sandy hillsides. Distribution is through-out the Escambia region, except directly at seashore.

The leaves are made up of three to seven leaf segments forming an odd-pinnate leaf; filiform and glandular-dotted; alternate on the stem.

Flowers first appear as a conical globule (bud) red in color and small, appearing much like a members of the aster tribe. Flowering occurs in late summer and persists into mid-autumn.

Local identification of this plant has given rise to some confusion as to whether it should be a member of the aster family.