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Leaves opposite or whorled, sessile; basal leaves 1–1·5 × 0·3–0·4 cm. (absent from older plants), spathulate; cauline leaves 5–18 × 0·5–1 mm., linear, acute and terminating in a hair-like, somewhat caducous appendage c. 1 mm. long, with a woolly whitish indumentum when young, glabrescent later, 1-nerved; stipules whitish, 3–4 mm. long, scarious, lanceolate-acuminate, with one or more long hairs at the apex, margin ciliate in the upper half.
Inflorescence of many-flowered, loose or somewhat compact, terminal, dichotomous cymes with a single pedicellate flower between the main branches; bracts whitish, c. 3 mm. long, scarious, lanceolate-acuminate, bifid, margins ciliate, usually hirsute on the back; pedicels 1·5–9 mm. long.
Sepals 1·5–2 × 0·7 mm., scarious, silvery pink or whitish, lanceolate-acuminate, with somewhat curly hairs outside or glabrous.
Bushy annual herb up to 19 cm. tall, branching from the base; internodes with a rather woolly indumentum of whitish hairs.
Ovary ellipsoid, 3-ovulate, with a very short style c. 0·15 mm. long and 3 spreading stigmatic arms.
Stamens 5 or more often reduced to 2, c. 1/2 the length of the petals.
Capsule c. 1 × 0·5 mm., ellipsoid; valves brownish with paler margins.
Seeds brown, 0·4 × 0·3 mm., subreniform; testa lightly tessellated.
Much-branched annual, up to 9 in. high, often much less
Petals c. 0·6 mm. long, elliptic, apex emarginate.
Petals reddish.
