Annual or biennial. Stems erect, glabrous or with short eglandular hairs, (5)-10-40-(50) cm tall. Basal lvs tufted, linear-oblanceolate, subacute, 20-50 × 1-4 mm; margins scabrid; base sheathing; sheaths 1-(2)× as long as broad. Cauline lvs erect, linear, acute, glabrous or scabrid on margins; uppermost pairs becoming mucronate, scarious. Fls (1)-3-6, enclosed in an epicalyx of papery scarious mucronate to obtuse scales. Pedicels 2-3 mm long. Calyx 9-12 mm long; teeth short, obtuse. Petals pink to purple, clawed, retuse to shallowly emarginate. Capsule < calyx. Seeds ovoid, flattened, black, finely and closely ridged, 1.3-1.7 mm long.