These rather unobtrusive little plants are covered in wooly hairs giving rise to both the genus and species name, Filago eriocephalus. The flower heads are composed of tiny yellow florets arranged in a globe, resembling the medieval weapon, a spiked flail. The plants are soft and flexible and were once used to feed cows which could not chew cud, hence the common english name cudweed.

Reference works state that the plants reach a height of 40cm, however on Skopelos they only appear as low growing plants.