Compact, dense, entirely glabrous, spreading herb, up to 40 cm diameter and 10 cm tall. Older stems prostrate or spreading; new stems erect, red, and visible because leaves spreading; not rooting at nodes. Leaves 15—24 × 4—7 mm, opposite, ovate, elliptic, or broad-elliptic, glossy, erect or spreading, longer than internodes, 3—5 teeth on each margin, adaxial surface dark-green and sometimes flushed red, abaxial surface red, margin and adaxial midrib usually red, base cuneate, apex obtuse or retuse; petiole 5-7 mm long, slender, channelled, appressed to the stem or spreading slightly. Inflorescence in upper part of stem, conspicuous; flowers hermaphrodite, erect; pedicel 2-4 mm long, green; bud pink. Sepals 4, 4-4.5 × 1.2—1.4 mm, oblong, not keeled, red, apex acute. Petals 4, 5-6 × 1.9-2.1 mm, obovate, white, apex notch 0.5-0.8 mm deep. Floral tube 1—1.2 mm deep, c. 2 mm wide. Ovary 12—14 mm long, green; style c. 2.3 mm long, white; stigma c. 1 × c. 0 4 mm, clavate, white. Stamens 8; anthers 0.5—0.7 × 4-4.5 mm, yellow; filaments white, unequal, longer 2—2.5 mm long, shorter 1—1.2 mm long. Capsule 35—55 × 1.4—1.8 mm, scarlet- red; pedicel 10-24 mm long, scarlet-red. Seeds 1—1.1 × 0.4—0.45 mm, pale brown, papillose but often flat on one surface; proximal end constricted, with acute apex; chalazal end with a very short, inconspicuous, neck; coma 4—5 mm long, white, easily detached. FL Dec-Jan, FT Jan-Mar.

A Epilobio crasso caulibus vel erectis vel patentibus et non ad nodos radicantibus, foliis minoribus, petiolo gracili, internodis visibilibus, et pedicello et capsula breviori, seminibusque pusillioribus distinguitur.