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Deciduous; cauline 3-10 mm long, ± filiform. Stipular sheath with 2 short teeth. Inflorescences terminal, few-flowered panicles in larger plants, lax; peduncles up to 28 mm long. Flowers: pedicels slender up to 38 mm long, heterostylous or isostylous, solitary or 2-or 3-grouped. Calyx: tube subglobose; lobes broadly triangular. Corolla white to pale purple; tube 1.2-3.6 mm long; lobes up to 2 mm long, oblong-ovate. Style 1.2 mm long in short-styled and 2.9 mm in long-styled forms; length intermediate in isostylous forms. Fruit subglobose capsule, not distinctly beaked, valves separated after dehiscence. Flowering time Dec.-Apr. Seeds black, angular, testa reticulate.
Basal leaves rosulate, the blades 3–7 x 1.3–3 mm., spathulate, lanceolate or elliptic, obtuse, glabrous, often eventually disappearing before maturity; stem leaves 0.3–3 cm. x 0.3–2.2 mm., filiform, linear or linear-lanceolate, glabrous; petioles obsolete; stipule sheath 0.3 mm. long with 2 short teeth 0.5 mm. long.
Style 1.2 mm. long in short-styled forms and 2.9 mm. in long-styled forms; stigma lobes 0.6–0.8 mm. long; isostylous forms have the style of intermediate length and the stigma lobes are at the same height as or higher than the anthers.
Flowers heterostylous or isostylous, terminal or axillary, either solitary or in groups of 2 or 3, in larger plants forming a paniculate inflorescence; peduncles 0.9–2.8 cm. long; pedicels very graceful, 0.4–3.8 cm. long.
Corolla white to pale purple, sometimes with a dark spot or streaks near the throat; tube 1.2–3.6 mm. long, somewhat hairy at the throat with white or purple hairs; lobes 0.7–2 mm. long, oblong-ovate.
Calyx tube 0.5–0.7 mm. long, subglobose, glabrous or with minute hairs; lobes 0.3–0.9 mm. long, broadly triangular.
Capsule 1–1.8 x 2 mm., subglobose, glabrous, beaked, the valves rounded and well separated after dehiscence.
Slender erect annual herb 2.5–35 cm. tall, with glabrous or basally scabrid pubescent stems.
Seeds black, angular, c. 0.4 mm. long, reticulate.
