Herb, annual, biennial or rarely perennial, with slender to slightly fleshy and thickened taproot. Branches prostrate to decumbent from base. Leaves obtuse to mucronate, 5–40 (–50) mm long, 0.6–1.5 mm wide; lower leaves glabrous, grading into glandular-hairy bracts above. Stipules obtuse to scarcely acuminate, rarely furcate, (2–) 2.5–3 (–5) mm long, connate for c. 33–50% of their length. Inflorescence dense or occasionally lax, with upper branches often monochasial and racemose, with dense glandular hairs (0.15–) 0.2–0.3 (–0.4) mm long. Pedicels about equal to or longer than sepals. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, (1.5–) 2.5–3 mm long (mostly 3.5–4 mm long in fruit); basal dark purple spots usually present. Petals 3–4 mm long, rose-purple, white at base, sometimes reduced or absent. Stamens (0–) 2–5 (–10), with up to 3 reduced to staminodes. Capsules narrowly ovoid, 4–6 mm long, usually exceeding sepals. Seeds broadly pyriform, (0.5–) 0.6–0.8 (–0.9) mm long, rust-brown to deep red-brown, of two types, often both in the same capsule: (i) wingless and then usually finely papillose, with marginal papillae paler than testa; or (ii) occasionally wholly winged and then smooth, the wing-margin erose to denticulate, or rarely the wing rudimentary or wanting.
Occurs on maritime cliffs, in coastal and inland salt lakes and marshes, mudflats and in sandy soils on the edge of drainage channels and creek lines.
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