Annual. Stem erect, 1–3 ft., sparingly branched and leafy, weak, acutely 4-angled, with a row of appressed bristles at the angles, and long erect ones at the nodes; branches setose. Leaves distant, 1 1/2–3 1/2 in. by 1–2 in., membranous, ovate, acute, 5-nerved, margins cartilaginous, obscurely waved or crenate, substrigosely hairy on both surfaces; petiole 1/4– 1/3 in., hispid. Flowers sessile, 5-merous, solitary or in terminal, interrupted, unilateral cymes; bracts 2, much shorter than the calyx, ovate, membranous, ciliate, very deciduous. Calyx-tube 1/2 in., urceolate, ventricose below, scabrid and covered with persistent scales crowned by stellately arranged bristles; upper part tubular with deciduous bristle-crowned scales; lobes 5, shorter than the tubular portion, ovate or subulate, acuminate, ciliate and bristle-pointed, very early deciduous. Petals small, 1/10 in., obovate, purple? Anthers minute, 1/16 in., all equal; connective very shortly produced, very minutely tubercled in front, filaments 1/10 in., slender. Style filiform, stigma capitellate. Capsule adherent to the turgid part of the calyx-tube, its free top crowned with a pencil of white hairs, 4-valved.
