Frankenia sessilis Summerh.

Small, much-branched shrub, often rooting at nodes; stems shortly pubescent, later glabrous; internodes usually short. Leaves sessile, sometimes spreading, 1.5–6 mm long, 1 mm wide; upper surface with very short hairs often hidden by salt crust, or almost glabrous, scurfy; underside puberulous; margins recurved, often obscuring midrib; sheath ciliate, puberulous outside. Flowers solitary or in dichasia. Bracts similar to leaves; bracteoles 1.5–6.5 mm long, with broad, flattened petiole, partially adnate to bracteolar sheath. Calyx 2.8–7 mm long, 1–1.5 mm diam., 4-or 5-ribbed, puberulous outside, glabrous or sparsely puberulous inside. Petals 4 or 5, 4–9 mm long, white. Stamens 4, rarely 6; anthers purple-red. Style 2-or 3-branched; stigmas linear to linear-clavate; placentas 2 or 3, parietal; ovules 2, occasionally up to 5; funicle recurved. Seeds smooth.