Low, frutescent plant, 10-40 cm high with a few slender branches from or from near base; branches simple, densely to subdensely appressed stellate-pubescent. Stipules small, up to 1 mm long, subulate to oblong, acuminate, often obscured by the pubescence. Leaves all, or those in upper portion, often reducing markedly in size, petiolate; blade elliptic, narrowing slightly to base and apex or apex truncate or rounded and crenate, about 8 x 4 mm, lower leaves usually broadly elliptic to oblong, crenate in upper half, often up to 12 x 9 mm; stellate-pubescent on both surfaces, densely so beneath; petiole 1-3 mm long. Inflorescence of simple, 1-flowered cymes solitary in axils of leaves and appearing racemose towards ends of the branches because of reduced leaves; peduncles slender 10-15 mm long, persistent stellate-pubescent; pedicels cernuous, 1-3 mm long, usually more densely stellate-pubescent than peduncles. Calyx lobed to beyond middle, stellate-pubescent; lobes long, attenuate, 5-8 mm long, reflexed at one stage in open flower; tube about 2.5 mm long. Petals red, spathulate, about 6 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm broad in upper half, margins inrolled on the claw, at one stage in open flower reflexed from the middle. Stamens with dark purple, erect anthers about 6-10 mm long, pubescent; filament obovate, hyaline, no pubescence seen, about 3 mm long, overlapped by anther base for about 1 mm. Ovary about 3 mm long, and 2 mm broad, pubescent with short, stellate or simple bulbous-based or gland-tipped hairs and at apex with long, acute hairs; cells 2-horned. Capsule with short, stellate and glandular hairs, with long, acute hairs at apex, horns 1-2.5 mm long.
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