Yellowish-green, hemiparasitic shrublet up to 60cm. Leaves narrow, 10mm long and triangular in cross-section, strongly-keeled, with thickened pungent tip, margins scabrid; clusters of short-stalked, heavily scented flowers, 2-3mm long, with bearded sepals and stamens and an almost hairless stigma, are immersed among leaf-like bracts.

Latin: carina = keel: referring to the strongly keeled leaves of this species.