Hairy annual herb with persistent primary root and elongated ascending stems to c. 60 cm tall. Lvs not rosulate, cauline, sessile, opposite and in clusters, 3-7 cm × 0.5-2 mm, narrowly linear or linear-subulate, entire or nearly so; main vein 1; hairs mostly antrorse, especially on margins; base somewhat expanded; apex ± acute. Peduncles to 8 cm long, densely clothed in antrorse hairs, in axils of upper lvs. Spikes ovoid to globular, to c. 1.5 cm long. Lower leaflike bracts 5.5-10 mm long, broad-ovate with acuminate apex, with margins of lower expanded part sometimes membranous, otherwise bract herbaceous and densely hairy; main bracts smaller, obtuse or obtuse-cuspidate, with broad membranous margins and the hairy herbaceous area confined to narrow keel. Sepals unequal, similar in size and appearance to inner bracts, 3-4 mm long, ± obovate. Corolla tube slightly > calyx; lobes 1.5-2 mm long, ovate, eventually reflexing, glabrous. Stamens glabrous, shortly exserted. Style hairy, long-exserted. Capsule 1.5-3 mm long, subglobose, 2-seeded. Seed 1.5-2 mm long, ellipsoid, dark brown; inner surface deeply concave with involute margin.