Achyranthes splendens var. splendens is a shrub species that typically grows to a height of 0.5 to 2 meters with erect and decumbent stems. The leaves of this shrub are simple and arranged oppositely. The leaf blades are obovate to broadly elliptic or suborbicular, measuring 2 to 12 cm in length and 1.5 to 7.3 cm in width. The surfaces of these leaves are densely covered with white strigose hairs, often obscuring the epidermis, especially on the lower surface. These hairs can spread, ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 mm in length. The leaf margins are usually entire or nearly so; the leaves are petiolate without stipules. The flowers appear in congested spikes that are 3 to 25 cm long. The rachis of these spikes is densely covered with white pubescent or tomentose hairs that are 1.5 to 3 mm in diameter and range from spreading to appressed, measuring 0.5 to 2 mm in length. The peduncles are 0.6 to 3.4 cm long. Each sepal is subtended by a lanceolate, spine-tipped bract 3 to 6 mm long, and the bracteoles are 4 to 5.3 mm long, also spine-tipped. The flowers are bisexual (perfect), with a calyx composed of five subequal sepals 8 to 10.5 mm long with an acute apex. The corolla (petals) is absent. The plant has 2 to 5 stamens at the base, each with dithecal anthers. The fruit is a 1.5 to 3 mm long utricle containing one seed per fruit. The seed surface is usually lustrous (shiny), and the endosperm is absent. It is typically scattered in low-elevation areas, including open, dry forest remnants and open thickets, on talus or rocky slopes, and coralline plains. Its elevation range is primarily 0-30 meters, occasionally extending up to 500 meters.