Spreading, densely branched shrub to abut 20 cm tall. Leaves broadly obovate, to about 1 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. Flowers violet, with white throat, in open clusters to about 4 cm long; late spring to early summer.

A chance cross, H. elliptica × H. pimeleoides, that probably arose in the garden of James Spedon Gore. It was named in Christchurch Botanic Gardens, South Island, New Zealand, commemorating the former curator, James Young.