Plants tufted, 1.5--5 cm tall. Rhizomes hard, 1--2 mm thick. Leaves suberect, 2.5--7 cm × ca. 0.3 mm, grooved on both surfaces. Flowering stems 2--5.5 cm. Cymes broomlike, 8--10 × 5--8 mm; 2 bracts at base of inflorescence 8--10 mm, persistent. Perianth red to purple, 3.5--6.5 mm; segments ovate, 3-veined, apex obtuse to acute, outer segments 1.5--3 mm, larger than inner ones. Anthers oblong, outer ones 0.8--1 mm, shorter than inner ones. Ovary oblong, 1.3--2 × ca. 1 mm. Style 2--3 mm, usually slightly dilated below middle; stigma lobes ca. 0.3 mm. Capsule ca. 7 × 3 mm, spongy, apex white with a beak ca. 1 mm. Seeds ca. 0.8 × 0.5 mm, both ends obtuse. Fl. Jun, fr. Aug.