The radiate flowerhead of Mairia crenata grows solitary on an erect scape that is hairy and green or purple in colour. The buds in the photo show the rows of overlapping, green bracts with purple, pointed tips. The open flowerhead has pink or mauve ray florets, occasionally white ones and a disc that changes colour as the disc flowers open. In picture the yellow in the centre is being replaced by white and some black.

Flowering commences in spring and continues to early autumn (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Manning, 2009).