Succulent herb, probably perennial; stems usually procumbent, rarely erect, up to 35 cm long, branching, the main branches 3–5 mm thick, eventually woody at the base. Leaves alternate, linear-terete, 7–20 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, glaucous, obtuse; axillary hairs in tufts 1–4 mm long, shorter than the internodes, fairly inconspicuous, falcate scales absent. Flowers in clusters of 1–3, encircled by 8 involucral leaves enclosing dense woolly hairs; involucral leaves ± equalling or up to twice as long as the stem leaves; flower-clusters frequently overtopped by subsequent growth from the axils of the involucral leaves. Sepals red, 2.8–3.5 mm long, rounded on the back, with thickened acute tips; petals 5, yellow or orange, 4–5.5 mm long, obovate-oblong, retuse; stamens 10–25; stigma 4–6-branched. Capsule dehiscing below the middle, lid a broadly rounded dome ± 2.5 mm high; seeds usually black (rarely silvery-grey), 0.7–0.8 mm long, the testa cells jigsaw- to stellate-shaped, convex to domed.