Erect or scrambling annual herb 0.3–1.2 m. tall; stems with slight ribs, glabrous or with lines of very short sparse hairs.. Leaf-blades narrowly elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate to ovate, 0.8–5.5 cm. long, 0.3–2.5 cm. wide, acute at the apex, cuneate at the base into the stipule-sheath, the very narrow leaf-base resembling a short petiole ± 2 mm. long, entirely glabrous save for very short hairs at and near margins above giving a slightly scabrid feel; stipules drying a rather bright reddish brown; bases slightly pubescent, 2–3 mm. long, with 5–7 fine fimbriae 2.5 mm. long, or at inflorescence-bearing nodes ± 100.5 mm. long.. Flowers in terminal and axillary many-flowered sessile clusters; stipule-derived bracteoles with fimbriae 3 mm. long.. Calyx-tube narrowly obconic, 2–2.5 mm. long, 0.8 mm. wide, densely hairy above; limb obsolete; lobes triangular, 0.6 mm. long, ciliate, separated by a fringe.. Corolla white or lobes tipped with pink; tube 1.2 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, 1.3 mm. long, 0.6 mm. wide, slightly hairy at the apex outside.. Stamens with filaments exserted 1–1.2 mm.. Style exserted 1.3 mm.; stigma 0.5 mm. wide.. Capsule ellipsoid or obovoid–fusiform, 2.5–4 mm. long, 1.8 mm. wide, 1 mm. thick, hairy above, the valves completely falling, each 2.2 mm. long, 1.8 mm. wide, bifid at the apex, crowned by the calyx-lobes.. Seeds chestnut-brown, oblong-ellipsoid, 1.5–2 mm. long, 0.7–0.8 mm. wide, 0.5 mm. thick, divided into transverse areas by anastomosing transverse grooves, the actual areas reticulate.. Fig. 50/14, p. 342.
Grassland, along roadsides, in rice fields, often on hard soils, often abundant, at elevations from sea-level up to 1,200 metres, occasionally to 2,000 metres.
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