Pyrophytic subshrub with annual or biennial erect or ascending unarmed stems 5–10(–15) cm. tall from creeping woody subterranean stems; branches pubescent to tomentose, later ± glabrous.. Leaves spaced on main stems but clustered on short lateral shoots, ovate, elliptic or obovate, 3–8.5 cm. long, (1–)1.5–3.5 cm. wide, acute, rounded or emarginate at the apex, narrowly attenuated at the base into the 4–10 mm. long petiole, pubescent-sericeous above, pubescent beneath, densely so on the nerves; stipules triangular, 4–7 mm. long, acuminate or cuspidate at the apex, persistent.. Flowers solitary, terminal on the primary branches but appearing lateral due to sympodial growth of a branch from the axil of one of the uppermost leaves; pedicels ± 1 cm. long, densely pubescent.. Calyx pubescent; tube narrowly campanulate, 3–4 mm. long; limb-tube 3–3.5 mm. long; lobes 10, unequal, the 5 large ones very variable, elliptic-spathulate, 2–4 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide, acute, the 5 small ones triangular, 1 mm. long, 0.5 mm. wide, acute.. Corolla white, turning yellow, densely silky pubescent outside; tube cylindrical, 5–6 mm. long; lobes rounded-elliptic, with wavy recurved margins and rounded incurved apex, 6–8 mm. long, 4–8 mm. wide.. Style 6.5 mm. long; stigmatic lobes transversely elliptic, flattened, 1 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide.. Fruit ellipsoid, 1.3–1.8 cm. long, 1.1–1.5 cm. in diameter, with 10 distinct longitudinal nerves, reticulately veined between the nerves, pubescent, crowned by the persistent calyx.
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