An undershrub 30–100 cm. high, or sometimes a perennial herb. Stems patently pilose, the hairs frequently short and somewhat rigid; old stems without leaves, often purplish, young ones usually densely foliate. Leaves 1–4·5 × 0·5–1·5 cm., elliptical to oblong or oblong-ovate to rarely obovate, obtuse or the narrowest ones acute at the apex, remotely serrate, frequently cuneate at the base, somewhat thick, subconcolorous, hispidulous or with subappressed hairs on both surfaces, with 1-3(4) suborbicular, submarginal impressed glands on each side near the base; lateral nerves obsolete above, slender and fairly prominent beneath, the midrib prominent on both surfaces; petiole 2–4 mm. or 0. Peduncle 4–20(25) mm. long, hispidulous; pedicel (1·25)5–10 mm. long, also hispidulous. Flowers usually heterostylous. Sepals 7–13 mm. long, lanceolate, acute or attenuate-cuspidate, hispidulous or with subappressed hairs, connate for 0·5–0·8 mm. at the base. Petals 6–12 × 2–6 mm., oblong-ovate, rounded at the top, cuneate at the base, golden-yellow. Longistylous flowers: filaments 3–4(4·5) mm. long; anthers 1–1·5 mm. long, oblong; styles (3·5)4–5·5(6) mm. long. Brevistylous flowers: filaments (6)6·5–8 mm. long; anthers 0·75–1·5 mm. long; styles 2 mm. long. Capsule 4–7 mm. long, ovoid, hairy, brownish-green. Seeds 3–3·5 mm. long, obovoid-oblong, slightly curved, roundish at the top, reticulate-alveolate; aril whitish, equalling c. 2/3 of the seed, subentire or crenulate.