Caulescent, 28-48 cm. high. Stem erect, simple or rarely few-branched, woody at least toward base, rufous-pilose becoming glabrous with age, internodes mostly short but distinct. Leaves nearly straight, strongly asymmetric, oblanceolate, penninerved, acuminate, cuneate, falcate, 6-12 cm. long, 2-5 cm. wide, coarsely sinuate-dentate near apex, glabrous or pilose on the midnerve beneath, petioles 5-9 mm. long, pilose to glabrous, stipules more or less persistent, broadly ovate, setose-acuminate, 10-25 mm. long, entire, thin. Peduncles few, axillary, 3-7 cm. long. Cymes few-flowered, regular, rather dense, pilose at first. Bracts persistent, small, suborbicular, serrate. Pedicels 5-16 mm. long. Flowers pink or red. Staminate tepals 2, broadly ovate, 5-8 mm. long, more or less pubescent. Stamens free, anthers oblong, about as long as the filaments, connective produced, obtuse. Pistil-late bracteoles like the bracts. Pistillate tepals 5, equal. Ovary 3-celled, placentae bilamellate, ovuliferous throughout, styles connate at base, stigmatic tissue linear, spiral, continuous. Capsule erect, subglobose, wings subequal, very variable in width.
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