Plants perennial, tufted or becom-ing cespitose in alpine habitats, glabrous. Stems ascending or sometimes pro-cumbent, few- to many-branched, not filiform. Leaves: axillary fascicles absent; basal frequently in primary and secondary rosettes 9–45 mm diam., blade linear, 10–20 mm, not succulent, apex apiculate, rarely aristate, glabrous; cauline not conspicuously connate basally, rarely forming inflated cup in cespitose, alpine plants, blade linear, sometimes linear-subulate in cespitose plants, 4–20(–25) mm, not fleshy, apex apiculate, glabrous. Pedicels frequently recurved during capsular development, erect in fruit, filiform, glabrous. Flowers axillary or terminal, 5-merous, very rarely some 4-merous; calyx base glabrous; sepals elliptic, 2–2.5 mm, hyaline margins white, rarely purple in alpine specimens, apex obtuse to rounded, remaining appressed following capsule dehiscence; petals elliptic, (1–)1.5–2 mm, shorter than or equaling sepals; stamens (5 or) 10. Capsules 2.5–3(–3.5) mm, 1.5–2 times sepals, dehiscing to base. Seeds brown, obliquely triangular with distinct abaxial groove, 0.3–0.4 mm, smooth to slightly pebbled. 2n = 22.
