Annual herb; stems to c. 50 cm high, suberect, puberulent, becoming woody towards base, branching freely. Lvs puberulent; petiole to 1 cm long, often indistinct. Lamina 1.5-4 × 0.3-1.2 cm, narrow-linear to lanceolate, entire; base attenuate; apex acute. Fls in short terminal racemes, densely puberulent. Pedicels short at anthesis, erect. Buds erect; floral tube usually 1-3 cm long, with a ring of hairs below middle within. Sepals 1-2.3 cm long, lightly cohering, mucronate. Petals (1.5)-2-3 cm long, broad-obovate, pink to crimson, with central area usually more deeply coloured; margin often somewhat erose; claw well developed. Anthers long, linear, usually mauve. Stigmatic lobes linear. Capsule to 3 cm long, narrow-fusiform, terete, densely puberulent. Seeds brown, minutely scaly.