Annual herb, usually considerably branched (the branches divaricate-ascending) but simple in poorly developed specimens, 0.2–0.9 m.; stem and branches ridged, often reddish, moderately to rather densely pilose with upwardly directed, more or less appressed hairs. Leaves broadly obovate to linear, 1.5–8.5 × 0.2–3.5 cm., thinly to moderately pilose, sessile and in the broader-leaved forms commonly constricted c. a third up and then expanded to an auriculate base, apex blunt to subacute, obscurely mucronate. Inflorescence green or the apices of bracts, bracteoles and tepals frequently pink to carmine, conical when young but finally subglobose to cylindrical, 1.2–6.5 × 1.2–1.4 cm., very dense, on a short to long (up to 11 cm.) peduncle or more rarely sessile through branch-condensation and then often with short lateral inflorescences at the base, axis villous. Bracts ovate-lanceolate,3–5 mm. long, white-membranous, sparingly pilose along the central dorsal surface or glabrous, gradually tapering to the acute, 1–1.5 mm. long arista formed by the excurrent midrib. Bracteoles narrower, lanceolate, 2.75–5 mm. long, more densely pilose, the arista 1.75–2.5 mm. long. Flowers truncate at the base, where they are indurate, fused to the bracteoles, and attached to the inflorescence axis by a knob-like stalk. Tepals lanceolate-subulate, greenish centrally, firm and opaque except for the narrowly hyaline margin, the stout midrib excurrent in a very sharp, pale to reddish arista, 1–2 mm. long, erect or divergent at the apices; 2 outer 5.5–7 mm. long, more or less densely furnished with upwardly directed, more or less spreading white hairs, with 5 nerves which are often white and obvious near the base but obscured above; inner 2 c. 1 mm. shorter, narrower, 3-nerved, hairs mostly confined to the central and upper parts. Perianth and bracteoles falling in one unit in fruit. Stamens 2–3 mm. long; pseudostaminodes c. 0.75–1 mm. long, oblong, truncate with an incurved lobule at the apex, dorsal scale filiform to considerably fimbriate. Ovary subcircular, c. 1 mm. in diam, with a firm, transversely ridged apex; style slender, 1–1.5 mm. long. Capsule oblong-ovoid, 2–2.25 mm. long, the firm, flat apex with a transverse crest on each side of the style; seed c. 2 mm. long, oblong-ellipsoid, brown, shining.
