Perennial herb eventually forming a bushy shrublet c. 300 mm to 1 m tall (but will flower and fruit as a simple-stemmed seedling, leaves then atypically long and sometimes hairy), branches often subspinescent from bare persistent inflorescence axes, young parts at least thickly clad in rather coarse patent hairs c. (0.1-)0.25-0.5 mm long, closely leafy. Leaves fascicled, opposite but soon alternate upwards, largest (primary leaves 2-7 x 0.8-1.7 mm (axillary leaves often longer, up to c. 2.5-15 x 0.7-1.1 mm), primary leaves often deltoid but may be narrowly oblong-elliptic or oblong, axillary leaves ± oblong, abruptly apiculate, base slightly narrowed, apex acute or subacute, apiculate, base broad, clasping, margins strongly revolute, texture thick, glandular-punctate, otherwise usually glabrous except for a fringe of hairs at the clasping base or rarely with a few scabrid trichomes on the margins and midline on the lower surface of the axillary leaves in particular. Inflorescence a compact, well-branched terminal corymbose panicle composed of crowded spikes c. 10-15 x 7-10 mm. Bract adnate only to base of calyx tube, lowermost 2.8-3.8 x 0.7-1 mm, lanceolate, acute, slightly concave at base, hairs up to 0.2-0.5 mm long on margins, shorter stouter hairs usually present on the back at least at the base, or on the keel as well, or all over the back, sometimes wanting in a few of the lowermost bracts. Pedicel either wanting or up to c. 0.8 mm long. Calyx 2-3 mm long, campanulate, subequally 5-lobed at least halfway to the base, lobes narrowly triangular, very acute, acute hairs up to 0.2-0.3 mm long on margins, shorter all over the backs, minute globular glands as well, few to many very minute glands inside. Corolla tube (c. 3.5-)4-6 mm long, funnel-shaped, limb 4-5.5 mm across lateral lobes, posticous lobes 1.5-2 x 1-1.2 mm, anticous lobe 2-2.8 x 1-1.6 mm, all lobes elliptic or oblong-elliptic, white. Stamens: posticous filaments 1.8-2.8 mm long, anthers shortly exerted; anticous filaments 1.8-2.8 mm long, anthers exerted. Stigma and style c. 4.5-7.5 mm long, style pubescent. Ovary c. 1 x 0.4 mm, one loculus occasionally aborted. Cocci 1.8-2.6 x 0.8-1 mm, brown, rugulose, inner face almost plane, often grooved. Flowers can be found in any month.
More
Perennial herb, dwarf shrub or shrub, sometimes appearing annual, up to 1 m high; branches often spiny; thickly hairy when young with coarse, patent hairs. Leaves: main ones up to 7 x 1.7 mm, often deltate, sometimes narrowly oblong-elliptic or oblong, ± acute, apiculate, base clasping. Flowers in short spikes, up to 15 x 10 mm, in a dense, much-branched, corymbose panicle. Calyx: lobes acute. Corolla: tube up to 6 mm long. Anthers: upper ones shortly exserted, lower ones exserted. Fruit narrow cocci, up to 1 mm wide. Flowering time all year.
Densely leafy shrublet to 40 cm, branches with coarse, patent hairs. Leaves tufted, linear-oblong, thick, apiculate. Flowers crowded in short spikes arranged in well-branched, corymbose panicles, white, inner face of cocci plane with a median groove.