Herbs biennial, 20--70 cm tall, densely short glandular hairy throughout. Stems sparsely caespitose or solitary, robust, erect, simple. Basal and proximal cauline leaves spatulate or spatulate-oblanceolate, 3--5 × ca. 1 cm, midvein prominent, base attenuate into petiole, apex obtuse or acute; distal leaves sessile, lanceolate, apex acuminate. Flowers in a racemiform thyrse; cymule shortly stalked, 1--3(--7)-flowered. Pedicel 3--5 mm; bracts ovate-lanceolate, herbaceous. Calyx tubular-clavate, 1.7--2 cm × ca. 4 mm, densely glandular hairy; calyx teeth triangular-ovate, 1.5--2 mm. Androgynophore 2--3 mm, pubescent. Petals ca. 2 cm, claws cuneate, ciliate at base, auriculate at apex; limbs exserted beyond calyx, white, deeply 4-lobed; medial lobes ovate, margin entire; lateral lobes linear-lanceolate, small; coronal scales absent. Stamens and styles prominently exserted; filaments ciliate at base. Styles 3. Capsule globose-ovoid, 1--1.2 cm, lobe teeth excurved. Seeds dark brown, triangular-reniform, ca. 1.2 mm, slightly flat on one side, striate, minutely tuberculate. Fl. May--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug.