Piaranthus comptus is a dwarf stem succulent that forms clumps from branching of the stems that reach heights from 2 cm to 5 cm. The clump of short stems, up to five in nature, may in cultivation grow more in number. The four-angled grey-green stem is slightly rough-surfaced, globose to cylindrical, erect or decumbent and up to 14 mm thick.

The species distribution is in the western Little Karoo near Ladismith and northwards into the Great Karoo in the Northern Cape. The plant is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; www.llifle.com; www.redlist.sanbi.org).