Strictly erect annual herb 20–35 cm. tall; stems branched, 4-angled and grooved, bifariously shortly pubescent with stiff downwardly directed hairs within the grooves.. Leaf-blades lanceolate, 2–7 cm. long, 2.5–6.5 mm. wide, acute at the apex, rounded at the base, sessile, with ± thickened margins and midnerve, ± pilose above, glabrous beneath save for some short stiff hairs on the midnerve, the margins ciliate with short stiff hairs particularly towards the base; stipule-sheath 3.5–4 mm. long, hairy, with 5 ciliolate setae 3–6 mm. long.. Flowers sessile in axillary several-flowered clusters at all but the lowest nodes; bracteoles similar to stipules.. Calyx-tube narrowly oblong-obconic, hairy above, 3 mm. long; lobes 3(–? 4), unequal, lanceolate, (2.5–)5–8 mm. long, (0.5–)1–1.6 mm. wide, similar to leaves in texture, etc., margins ciliate.. Corolla white; tube tubular, 3 mm. long; lobes triangular, 1.1 mm. long, 0.8 mm. wide, glabrous.. Filaments 0.25 mm. long.. Style exserted 0.5 mm.; stigma globose, 0.8 mm. diameter.. Capsule oblong-ellipsoid, 6 mm. long, 3 mm. wide, crowned with the persistent calyx-lobes, hairy above.. Seeds shiny, dark brown, oblong-ellipsoid, 4 mm. long, 1.9 mm. wide, 1 mm. thick, flat and narrowly grooved ventrally, convex and very slightly keeled dorsally, with a cream appendage 1.5–1.8 mm. long.. Fig. 51/29, p. 344.
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