Plants annual or winter annual, from slender taproot. Stems decumbent proximally, ascending distally, diffusely branched, 4-angled, to 80 cm, with single line of hairs along each internode. Leaves petiolate (proximal and those on sterile shoots) or sessile (distal and mid stem); blade ovate to broadly elliptic, 0.5-4 cm × 2-18 mm, base round to cuneate, margins entire with few cilia at base, thin, apex acute to short-acuminate, ± glabrous. Inflorescences terminal, 9-many-flowered cymes; bracts ovate to lanceolate, 3-25 mm, reduced distally, herbaceous, sparsely ciliate on margins and underside. Pedicels erect, often becoming deflexed, 5-40 mm, pubescence a single line of hairs. Flowers 5-7 mm diam.; sepals 5, veins obscure, lanceolate, 5-6.5 mm, margins narrow, membranous, apex acute, pubescent; petals 5 (rarely absent), 2-5 mm, shorter than or equaling sepals; stamens 8-10; styles 3, ascending, outwardly curved, 0.5-1 mm. Capsules green to straw colored, ovoid-oblong, 5-7 mm, ca. equaling sepals, apex obtuse, opening by 6 slightly recurved valves; caropohore absent. Seeds very dark brown when mature, round, 1.1-1.7 mm diam., tuberculate; tubercles conic, taller than broad, apex acute. 2n = 22.
More
Herbs annual or biennial, pale green. Stems tufted, 30--80 cm tall, with 1 line of hairs. Leaves shortly petiolate or sessile, ovate or narrowly ovate, (1.5--)2--3 × 0.5--1.3 cm, base cuneate, somewhat clasping, apex acute, basal leaf margin and stems between 2 basal leaves long hairy. Flowers terminal in dichotomous cymes; bracts lanceolate, herbaceous, glandular pubescent. Pedicel 1--1.5 cm, slender, with a line of dense soft hairs, nodding after anthesis. Sepals 5, ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, 3--4(--5) mm, outside densely pubescent with multicellular glandular hairs, margin membranous, apex acute, inflexed. Petals 5, nearly as long as or slightly longer than sepals, 2-cleft nearly to base. Stamens (6--)8--10, slightly longer than petals. Styles 3. Capsule ovoid, longer than persistent sepals, 6-valved; valves revolute. Seeds numerous, brown, nearly compressed orbicular, ca. 1.5 mm in diam., with sparse conical papillae. Fl. Apr--Jun, fr. Jun--Aug. 2n = 22.
A herb. It can grow for one or two years. It grows 30-80 cm tall. It has one line of hairs. The leaves have only a short or no leaf stalk. The leaves are narrowly oval. They are 2-3 cm long by 1 cm wide.