Plants wandlike or candelabra-form, 5–20 cm. Basal leaves not persisting. Cauline leaves: petiole present or absent (proximal leaves), absent (distal leaves); blade ovate to linear (proximal leaves), ovate to lanceolate (distal leaves), to 6 cm, margins entire. Bracts green, elliptic to oblanceolate, 3.3–6.2 × 1.5–3.2 mm, width 1/4–7/8 length, not concealing capsule, margins entire. Flowers: sepals 1–3 mm; petals yellow, 2–4 mm, apex retuse to rounded; stamens 10–30, 2–3.5 mm, filaments monomorphic, filiform, unlobed; styles 1.5–3 mm. Capsules cylindric or clavate, 5–16(–20) × 2–4 mm, axillary curved to 45° at maturity, often prominently longitudinally ribbed. Seeds 10–25, in 2+ rows distal to mid fruit, tan, dark-mottled, irregularly polygonal, surface smooth to minutely tessellate under 10× magnification; recurved flap over hilum absent; seed coat cell outer periclinal wall domed, domes on seed edges less than 1/2 as tall as wide at maturity. 2n = 18.
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