Short-lived perennial or sometimes annual herb 7–40 cm. tall, much branched from the extreme base with several to numerous erect, suberect or trailing branches; stems glabrous or pubescent at the base.. Leaf-blades linear or linear-lanceolate, 0.7–1.5(–4) cm. long, 0.8–1.6 mm. wide, apiculate at the apex, sparsely scabrid-pubescent above, glabrous beneath save sometimes on the midrib; petiole not developed; stipule-sheath 1–2 mm. long, pubescent, divided into 2 slender fimbriae about 1–2 mm. long, sometimes with 1–2 shorter subsidiary ones.. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, the terminal panicles made up of pedunculate 1–4-flowered groups, the axillary ones sometimes reduced to a single flower; peduncles 0.5–2 cm. long; pedicels 1–6(–9) mm. long.. Flowers heterostylous.. Calyx-tube subglobose, ± 0.6 mm. long, glabrous; lobes triangular-lanceolate, 0.4–1.1 mm. long, glabrous or sparsely ciliate on the margins with papilla-like hairs.. Corolla white or faintly tinged mauve; tube 1–2 mm. long, hairy inside; lobes elliptic-oblong, 1.4–2 mm. long, 0.8 mm. wide, papillate inside.. Style 0.7 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 2–3.5 mm. long in long-styled flowers; stigma-lobes 0.5–0.7 mm. long.. Capsule depressed semi-globose, 1–1.6 mm. tall, 1.7–2.1 mm. wide, glabrous, crowned by the persistent calyx-lobes, beak slightly raised, ± 0.3 mm. tall.. Seeds brown, ellipsoid, somewhat angular, 0.35 mm. long.. Fig. 41/22, p. 271.
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