Herbs perennial. Roots cylindric. Stems diffuse, 60--100 cm tall, much branched, pubescent. Leaves ovate, 6--8 × 3--5 cm, abaxially pubescent, margin ciliate, conspicuously 3-or 5-veined, base nearly rounded or shallowly ovate, apex acute. Lower internodes in dichasium long, subsequent short. Pedicel 6--30 mm, hirtellous. Bracts ovate, herbaceous, densely pubescent. Calyx tubular-clavate, ca. 1.5 cm, densely spinose hairy at veins; teeth triangular-lanceolate, margin membranous, ciliate, apex acute or acuminate. Androgynophore 1--2 mm. Petals white or pale red, ca. 2 cm; claws slightly exserted beyond calyx, oblanceolate, glabrous; limbs obovate, bifid to middle; lobes elliptic, with a linear lobe or narrow tooth on each side (shallowly 4-lobed in var. praticola). Stamens slightly exserted; filaments glabrous. Styles prominently exserted. Capsule ovoid, 8--10 mm, shorter than calyx. Seeds dark brown, reniform, ca. 1 mm, with lateral auricular pits. Fl. Jun--Aug, fr. Aug--Sep.
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