Cabomba palaeformis is an aquatic herb. The divided submerged leaves display purple spotting and red striations. The linear floating leaves are 11 mm long, and 1.4 mm wide.
The 6-8 mm long flowers are white with occasional yellow or purple colouration at the petal base. The pollen grains have striate and perforate ornamentations. The gynoecium consists of a single carpel.