Perennial herb, woody at the base, erect, 20–50 cm tall, branched about the base. Stem and branches softly tomentose with long-pilose nodes from the uppermost leaves which are not of the inflorescence downwards, above this glabrous or virtually so. Leaves of main stem and lower branches opposite, linear-lanceolate to narrowly ovate, subacute at the apex, cuneate below, 1.5–5 x 0.5–1.3 cm, shortly straight- or ± crisped-pubescent on both surfaces, distinctly petiolate with the lower petioles to c. 1 cm; upper leaves narrowly linear. Inflorescence a lax open panicle 8–40 cm long, the ultimate branches only 1–2(–4)-flowered, when 1-flowered the pedicel capillary, when 2–4-flowered the lower flower sessile. Tepals ± tinged with dull red: outer 2 broadly lanceolate, c. 2.5 mm long, spreading-hairy especially on the 3 equally strong nerves, narrowly hyaline-margined; inner 2 with a strong, spreading-hairy central nerve and 2 slender glabrous laterals, broadly hyaline-margined; middle tepal with 2 strong pilose and one glabrous slender lateral nerves and one broad and one narrow margin. No pseudostaminodes. Style c. 0.75 mm. Capsule ovoid, c. 2 mm long.
