A medium-sized dandelion with a semiprostrate, many-leaved rosette of multilobate, lacerate leaves. Petioles white, rather short, narrowly winged below. Leaves rather shiny green and unmarked when unstressed, but stressed forms have dark markings at the crisped interlobes and the mid-rib above can become coloured. Leaf side-lobes 6-8, short, patent, usually double or with a large tooth. Leaf end-lobes short, triangular; leaves mostly homophyllous. Exterior bracts, heavy,  narrowly oblong, greyish with a pink apex, spreading proximally, but sigmoid in posture. Capitulum slightly convex when expanded; ligule stripes grey-pink. T. densilobum is a typical member of the Alata group. T. alatum itself has longer, parallel-winged petioles. T. densilobum is easily confused with T. horridifrons, but has less hairy leaves, the leaves tend to be more lacerate and the exterior bracts lack the ghostly grey colour of that species.