Plants perennial herbs; stems succulent, to 10(-15) cm tall, 2-4 cm thick, with thick, fissured, grey bark without leaf scars, usually with several irregularly arranged branches; branches much thinner than the stems. Leaves alternate, crowded near the branch tips; stipules very small, subulate, caducous; petioles 0.5-1.5 cm long; blades 0.6-1.5 cm long, 0.4-1.5 cm wide, surfaces smooth, bases deeply cordate, margins coarsely crenate, tips obtuse or acute. Receptacles 1(-2) with the leaf clusters, on peduncles 1-2 cm long, circular in outline, 0.7-1.2 cm in diameter (excluding the appendages, appendages 7-10, linear, up to 1.2 cm long. Staminate flowers numerous; tepals 2; stamens 2; ovaries rudimentary. Pistillate flowers numerous, scattered among the male flowers; stigmas unbranched. Fruits not observed.
Dorstenia gypsophila grows on gypsaceous rocks at about 700m. It is known only from region N2 (eastern Somaliland) of the Flora of Somalia.