Delicate erect or spreading sparingly branched annual herb up to 5 cm. tall; branches capillary, with internodes up to 1 cm. long. Lvs 2.5-4·5 mm. long, subsucculent, linear, acuminate. Fls ± 2 mm. diam., the capillary peduncles elongating in fr. Calyx lobes ovate, obtuse to subacute; petals = calyx, linear, acuminate; scales 0. Carpels ± = calyx; seeds us. 10-16 per carpel.

2n = 42

Delicate annual herb with a single stem or with many stems forming small loose cushions; stems ± decumbent or almost prostrate, rooting at nodes, ascending to c. 5 cm, much-branched. Lvs connate at base, 1.3-3-(4.5) × 0.3-0.7 mm, c. 0.2 mm thick, linear or linear-lanceolate, flattened above, convex beneath; apex acute or apiculate. Fls solitary in axil of one lf of each lf pair, with petals remaining ± erect, 4-merous, c. 1.5 mm diam.; pedicels usually < 1 mm long at anthesis, elongating to 10-(13) mm long at fruiting. Calyx lobes 0.5-0.8 × c. 0.3 mm, ovate-triangular, obtuse or subacute. Petals c. 0.6-0.7 × 0.2-0.3 mm, elliptic-ovate, reddish green with pink or white margins, obtuse or subacute, c. = calyx. Scales c. 0.15 mm long, narrow-linear. Follicles smooth. Seed 0.2-0.35 mm long.