Annual or short-lived perennial herb with a woody base, 40–100 cm. high, glabrous or usually with the upper branches and young growths shortly pubescent.. Leaves ovate to linear-lanceolate, to 8 × 0.6–4 cm., base cuneate, apex rounded, margin indistinctly toothed but often with 1–2 pairs of large gland-tipped teeth at the base, upper surface glabrous, lower surface with scattered hairs and a prominent midrib; lamina tapering into a winged petiole to 5 mm. long; glandular stipules minute.. Cymes axillary and in terminal 3-branched umbels with primary rays to 5 cm. long; bracts sessile, often reflexed.. Cyathia subsessile, 1.8 × 1.8 mm., with cup-shaped involucres, puberulous; glands 4(–5), transversely elliptic, ± 1 mm. wide, green becoming brown; lobes subquadrate, 0.5 mm. long, margin deeply toothed.. Male flowers: bracteoles strap-shaped, deeply divided, ciliate; stamens 2.3 mm. long.. Female flower: ovary densely pubescent; styles 1.6 mm. long, joined at the base, erect with spreading apices bifid for 1/3 .. Capsule exserted on a reflexed pedicel 4 mm. long, oblong-trigonous, 3.5 × 3 mm., pubescent with short adpressed hairs.. Seeds oblong, ± flattened, 2.8 × 1.6 mm., wrinkled in 4 longitudinal rows of large tubercles on each side, whitish-grey, with a yellow caruncle 1.2 mm. wide.
In grass, usually in the shade of bushes in small thickets; open wood; cultivated land; open gravelly plains; woodland, usually with Acacia; at elevations from 70-1,650 metres.
Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.
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