Annual herb, usually considerably divaricately branched, 0.2–0.8(–1.2) m.; stem and branches strongly ridged, often ± red, moderately to densely pilose with upwardly directed ± appressed hairs.. Leaves linear, 15–80 × 1–11(–14) mm., narrowed to both ends, apex mucronate, thinly to moderately pilose on the upper surface, moderately to densely so on the lower, hairs appressed.. Inflorescence white or frequently pink-tinged especially about the tip, subglobose to cylindrical, (1–)1.6–5 cm. long and 1.2–1.8 cm. wide, sessile at the ends of stem and branches, on an involucre of 2–4 leaves up to 6.5 cm. long.. Bracts broadly ovate or elliptic-ovate, 3–5.5 mm., white-membranous, glabrous or finely ciliate-margined, the midrib excurrent in a pale sharp ± 1 mm. arista.. Bracteoles ovate, white-membranous, sparingly to considerably furnished with long white hairs along the dorsal surface of the midrib, (3.5–)5–8 mm., the midrib excurrent into a ± 1–2 mm. ± recurving arista.. Flowers sessile.. Tepals firm, opaque, lanceolate, narrowly hyaline-margined, usually greenish centrally; outer 2 at first 4.5–6 mm., equalling or slightly exceeding the bracteoles, lengthening to 7–8 mm. and clearly exceeding the bracteoles in fruit, ± densely furnished with long variably spreading white hairs, 5–7-nerved in transmitted light, the tips erect or ± spreading, pale or brownish, awn-like; inner 2 slightly shorter and narrower, obscurely 3-nerved, glabrous, tips usually erect; middle tepal intermediate, sparingly pilose; all indurate, white and shining at the base in fruit, fused below the ovary by incurved appendages, with a central basal cavity set over a cone-shaped protuberance by which the bracteoles are joined.. Fruiting perianth first falling from the bracteoles, and later the bracteoles from the bract.. Stamens 2.5–3 mm., pseudostaminodes ± 0.75–1 mm., oblong, truncate-excavate with an incurved lobule at the tip, dorsal scale minute.. Ovary oblong-ovoid, ± 0.75 mm., with a firm scutellate apex.. Style slender, 2–3 mm.. Capsule oblong-ovoid, 2 mm.; apex cup-shaped with the style set in the base of the concavity, basal part hyaline and delicate below the firm circumferential rim.. Seed oblong-ellipsoid, 2 mm., brown, shining.. Fig. 26.
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