Herb, annual 45–100 cm high, glabrous. Branches green above, red below, succulent, obtusely angled. Leaves alternate; lamina elliptic-ovate to lanceolate, 4–12 cm long, 1.5–5 cm wide, with 8–13 pairs of lateral nerves, margin regularly toothed, apex acuminate; raphides present; base glandular-stipitate; mid-to dark green above and pale green below; petiole 8–55 mm long, narrowly winged. Flowers in subterminal racemes on peduncles 55–100 mm long; 2–9 per cluster, with lower flowers in a false whorl, pedicels (12–) 15–20 mm long. Flowers white and pink to purple on the face, 18–27 mm long; bracts c. 3 mm long; lateral sepals 2.5 mm long; spurred lower sepal 22–25 mm long, conical, tapering into a slender, straight or hooked spur 10–15 mm long, white with a swollen, yellow apex. Anterior petal 5.5–6 mm long, 10–13 mm wide, white; lateral united petals unequal, 20–25 mm long, pink to purple; lower petal prolonged, larger than the upper petal, sometimes retuse. Capsule broad-linear, 5-angled, 20–24 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, erect. Seeds 2.5–3 mm long, ovoid, tuberculate, up to 5 per capsule.
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