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Perennial herb with numerous, erect, slender annual stems (6.5) 12–30 cm. tall from a stout, deep, woody rootstock, stems striate with pale raised lines, almost glabrous to rather densely furnished with rather short multicellular hairs.
Inflorescence capitate, globose or hemispherical, 1.25–1.6 cm. in diam., the axis somewhat elongating in fruit (to c. 2.25 cm.); axis deeply sulcate, subglabrous to more or less densely furnished with multicellular hairs.
Outer 2 tepals narrowly oblong, 5–6 mm. long, the firm central part with 3–5 thick but obscure nerves (more distinct in fruit) and other finer veins, the midrib not excurrent; margins hyaline, inflexed above.
Bracts ovate to lanceolate-ovate, 2–3 mm., glabrous or more commonly shortly pubescent at least along the margins, stramineous or sometimes reddish-tinged, the darker midrib excurrent in a very short mucro.
Bracteoles oblong-ovate to ovate, usually ciliate at least along the basal margins, 2.5–3.5 mm. long, stramineous or tinged with red, sharply mucronate with the excurrent midrib.
Filaments 6 mm. long; anthers narrowly oblong, 2–2.25 mm. long; pseudostaminodes absent, indistinct or small and tooth-like.
Ovary obovoid, 2 mm. long, glabrous at the extreme base, but densely lanate above; style 2.5 mm., pilose at the base.
Capsule oblong-ovoid, c. 3 mm. long, densely lanate except at the extreme base with whitish, multicellular hairs.
Inner 3 tepals slightly shorter, gradually narrower and less firm, more widely hyaline-margined above.
Seeds subreniform, yellow to reddish, shining, c. 2.75 mm.
Perianth bright crimson.
