Erect annual herb, 10-25 cm tall. Stem simple or sparingly branched, striate, sparingly aculeolate-glandular, otherwise glabrous. Leaves (3-)5-foliolate, petiolate; petioles 1 -5-4 cm long, sparingly aculeolate-glandular; leaflets shortly petiolulate, obovate to oblan-ceolate-oblong, 0-8-2-2 cm long, 4-5-8 mm broad, glabrous or sparingly glandular on margins and nerves below, becoming progressively smaller towards the inflorÂescence, apex acute to rounded, base cuneate. Inflorescence a few-flowered terminal raceme; bracts leaf-like, 3-foliolate, subsessile; pediÂcels 5-10 mm long. Sepals lanceolate, 2-5-3-5 mm long, acute. Petals pinkish, obovate-oblanceolate, 5-7 mm long, 2-5 mm broad, apex rounded, base cuneate, not distinctly clawed. Stamens 8-10, all fertile, usually 4 longer and stouter than the rest with filaments equalling the petals. Ovary linear, puberu-lous, 3 mm long on a very short gynophore; style 1 mm long; stigma broadly capitate. Capsule linear, 4-6 cm long, 2-5-3 mm broad, straight, spreading, gynophore 1-2 mm long; style 3-5 mm long; valves sparingly glandular, tapering to both ends, with 7-9 anastomosing nerves. Seeds brown, about 1 • 5 mm in diameter, surface transversely rugose.
