Herbs suffruticose, (15--)20--45 cm tall. Stems clustered, erect, basally lignified, dichotomously branched, densely shortly pubescent. Leaves with short, sterile axillary branches, linear, 8--12 × 1--2 mm, both surfaces densely pubescent, apex acute. Flowers bisexual, spreading in bud, erect in flower, usually with two 1-flowered cymules per stem. Pedicel pubescent, 2--5 mm; bracts linear-lanceolate, 2--8 mm, herbaceous, pubescent. Calyx campanulate, clavate in fruit, 1--1.5(--1.8) cm × ca. 3.5 mm, densely pubescent, veins dark violet; calyx teeth 2--3 mm. Androgynophore 3--5(--6) mm, pubescent. Petal claws narrow, glabrous, upper part forming triangular, erose auricles; limbs reddish, deeply bifid to 1/2 or more, sometimes erose at apex; coronal scales ca. 2 mm, margin erose. Stamens and styles included or slightly exserted; filaments glabrous. Styles 3. Capsule ovoid, 8--12 mm. Seeds triangular-reniform, ca. 1.2 mm. Fl. Jul--Aug, fr. Aug--Sep.