Caudex few branched, short, 5-20 cm; persistent old flowering stems and branches few, black when dry. Caudex leaves scalelike, oblanceolate, 1-2 cm, apex subacute. Sterile branches erect, 4-17 cm, apically densely leafy; leaves broadly obovate, 1-3 cm. Flowering stems numerous, erect or flabellate, straw-colored to red, 5-20 cm; leaves shortly pseudopetiolate; leaf blade elliptic-oblong to suborbicular, 1.2-3 × 1-2.2 cm, margin entire and undulate to crenate, apex obtuse to mucronate. Inflorescences corymbiform, ca. 2 × 2-3 cm, many flowered, bracteate. Flowers shortly to long pedicellate, unisexual, large, male ones unequally 5-merous. Sepals narrowly triangular, lanceolate, or oblong, 2-3.5 mm, apex obtuse to subobtuse. Petals red to purplish red, oblanceolate, (5-)6-7.5 × 1-1.5 mm, base long ungulate, apex obtuse. Stamens 10, equaling petals; antepetalous ones inserted ca. 2.5 mm from petal base. Nectar scales subquadrangular, quadrangular, or oblong, apex emarginate. Carpels lanceolate to oblong, 3-3.5(-6) mm, sterile. Styles short. Female flowers similar but stamens absent and carpels equaling petals. Follicles erect, red when dry, 8-10 mm. Seeds obovoid to ovoid, 1.5-2 mm, winged at both ends. Fl. Jun-Sep.
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