Annual(?) herb 150-450 mm tall, stems simple to well-branched from the base, leafy becoming bracteate upwards, base woody, branches rod-like, glandular-puberulous in upper part, also with eglandular, retrorse, somewhat curved hairs c. 0.25-0.5 mm long, in the lower part these more or less confined to two broad bands. Leaves opposite and often quasi-fasciculate on lower part, becoming alternate and distant upwards, passing into bracts, up to c. 18-35 x 1-3 mm, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, apex acute, base narrowed then abruptly expanded and half-clasping, margins entire, minutely denticulate or with up to 4 pairs of small teeth, blade glabrous except for a few hairs on lower leaf margins. Flowers many in crowded heads rapidly elongating into long (up to 150 mm) narrow crowded spikes, lowermost flowers sometimes distant. Bracts 4-5 x 0.8-1.5 mm, lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, adnate to the short calyx tube, often glabrous on the back, sometimes minutely glandular-puberulous particularly near the base, always with eglandular marginal hairs mostly 0.75-1 mm long. Pedicels 0-0.5 mm Calyx obscurely bilabiate, deeply lobed, tube 0.75-1 mm long, anticous lobes 2.2-3.25 x 0.4-0.9 mm, whole calyx minutely glandular-puberulous, margins with patent hairs c. 0.5-0.75 mm long. Corolla tube 3.5-5 x 0.75-1.2 mm, broadening in throat, limb 4-5 mm across the lateral lobes, posticous lobes 1-1.5 x 0.75-1.25 mm, anticous lobe 1.75-2 x 0.75-1.6 mm, all lobes elliptic-oblong, white, posticous lip heavily bearded inside, hairs often present on lower lip as well. Stamens 4, anthers 0.75-1 mm long. Stigma well exserted. Capsule 3.5-4 x 1.75-2 mm Seeds c. 1 x 0.5 mm, obscurely trigonous, somewhat colliculate and wrinkled, pale amber. Flowering has been recorded between September and December, also in May. Specimens in September already have long spikes of dehisced capsules as well as young flowering heads, as do those collected in May; it therefore seems likely that flowering takes place throughout the year. The plants have a simple woody taproot, and possibly persist for more than one season.
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Annual herbs, probably up to 450 mm high; stems simple or much branched from base, base woody, leafy to bracteate above. Leaves as for P. rustii, all narrow compared to length, 18-35 x 1-3 mm, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, entire with tiny teeth or with ± 4 teeth pairs; petioles 3-8 mm long. Flowers many in dense heads, elongating soon into long, dense, narrow spikes. Corolla: tube widening in throat; lobes white, probably with yellow blotch on upper lip. Flowering time Sept.-Dec.
Glandular-hairy annual or short-lived perennial to 45 cm. Leaves linear-oblanceolate, slightly toothed, often seemingly fascicled below. Flowers in crowded heads rapidly elongating into long spikes, white ?with yellow patch at base of upper lobes.
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