Erect annual herb, 8–35 cm. tall, with several branches from the base and frequently branched above. Stem and branches terete to bluntly quadrangular, striate, glabrous or sparingly furnished in the upper parts with fine multicellular hairs. Leaves narrowly linear, those of the main stem 16–45 × 1–2 (3) mm., obtuse to acute, glabrous or very finely and sparingly pilose; superior and branch leaves diminishing, sterile axillary fascicles sometimes present. Inflorescence terminal on the stem and branches, rounded-capitate to spicate, c. 0.7–15 × 0.75–1 cm., pink-tinged to deep rose-pink, the axis more or less densely furnished with white multicellular hairs. Bracts lanceolate-ovate, 2–3 mm. long, hyaline, acuminate with an aristate long-excurrent midrib, glabrous or sparingly ciliate; bracteoles more or less similar. Tepals narrowly oblong-elliptic, (3) 4–5 mm. long, glabrous, narrowly hyaline-bordered, with a very shortly excurrent midrib and a single pair of (sometimes sparingly branched) lateral nerves about attaining the middle of the tepal or longer. Stamens fused into a tube for c. three quarters or more of their length, c. 1 mm. shorter than the tepals; usually with the free apices short, with a tooth shorter than or slightly exceeding it on each side of the anther, rarely the staminal tube fused even higher so that there appears to be a short free pseudostaminode on each side of each fertile tooth. Ovary (2) 4–8 (10)-ovulate, rounded or shortly narrowed above, somewhat verruculose; stigmas (2) 3, spreading or recurved, usually shorter than the (1) 1.25–2 mm. slender style, more or less equalling the tepals or frequently exserted in fruit. Capsule c. 1.75–3 mm. long, circumcissile with the apex narrowed into the style, oblong-ovoid, often constricted centrally, glabrous. Seeds c. 1 mm. in diam.
