Annuals, 25-100 cm. Stems and branches finely appressed-hairy, stipitate-glandular distally. Distal leaf blades sessile, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, smallest 2-15 × 0.3-1.5 mm. Involucres broadly turbinate, 4-6 mm. Phyllaries lanceolate to linear, unequal, 2-4.5 × 0.5-0.7 mm, bases indurate, margins scarious. Receptacles flat to convex, 2-2.5 mm wide. Ray florets 15-25; laminae 4-5 × 0.7-1.3 mm. Disc florets 25-35; corollas 3-4 mm. Ray cypselae 1.3-1.5 mm, sparsely appressed-hairy. Disc cypselae 2-3 mm, glabrate or glabrous; pappi 25-40, 3.2-4 mm. 2n = 6.

Flowering Sep-Nov. Grasslands, weedy pastures, open areas in Prosopis-Acacia woodlands; of conservation concern; 10-20 m; Tex.

Psilactis heterocarpa is known from seven counties in the Gulf Coastal Plain of southern Texas.