An erect to straggling or diffusely branched, cushion-like herb or suffrutex, annual or biennial or perennial, 3·5–55 cm. tall, often with a woody tap-root or rhizome, entirely glabrous, pubescent or densely glandular-hairy. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 0·7–5·9 x 0·05–0·75 cm., linear or narrowly linear (or elliptic in 1 S. African subsp.), acute at apex, narrowed to base. Peduncles 0·2–1·5 cm. long; pedicels 0·4 mm. long (sessile or subsessile in Angolan and SW. African varieties). Calyx-tube 1·1–2(3) mm. long, glabrous to densely glandular hairy; calyx-lobes lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, (2·2)3–5(5·4) x 0·9–1·7(2) mm., frequently exceeding the tube in length, acute to acuminate at apex, the indumentum various but generally less dense than that of the tube, erect (or reflexing in subsp. capensis which is restricted to SW. Cape Prov.). Petals pale to bright yellow, sometimes drying with a maroon area at base, varying from strap-like to orbicular, 2·3–7 x 0·8–5 mm., rounded, acute or occasionally acuminate at apex; margin ± entire to very irregularly dentate; mid and lateral veins usually apparent, usually hairy at the base inside. Filaments 2–5·4 mm. long, glabrous or sparsely hairy, base with a membranous, hairy scale (variable in shape and size) or only with hairs; anthers 1–2·5 mm. long. Style-bases gradually and not markedly thickened, free to the disk, glabrous or rarely with short patent hairs; styles 4–6·6(8) mm. long, glabrous. Capsule 1·5–2·9 mm. long, glabrous to densely pubescent. Seeds straw-coloured to pale brown, ± ovoid or spindle-shaped, 0·3–0·55 mm. long, with distinct longitudinal ridges.
