Flowerheads of Berkheya herbacea grow on branched, leafy stalks with smooth, angular surfaces. The yellow flowerheads have elliptic, channelled ray florets that are notched at their tips. The disc florets are five-lobed, not very densely compacted in the flowerhead centres in the photo.

The broad involucral bracts growing in several rows around the flowerhead have smooth horny margins. This species used to be called B. cynaroides, the artichoke berkheya, on account of the appearance of its involucre (Manning, 2007; iSpot; www.redlist.sanbi.org).