Glab. subshrub much branched from woody base; branches sprawling to ± erect, sts rooting at lower nodes, slender to rather stout, terete, up to c. 2 dm. long. Lvs close-set, sessile and very shortly connate, 8-20-(30) × 1·5-4 mm., linear to linear-lanceolate, subacute to acute, entire, glab., narrowed gradually to sparsely ciliolate, subsheathing, persistent base, midrib depressed above, prominent below. Racemes 2-4-(7) -fld, sts reduced to solitary bibracteate fl., glab. in all parts; peduncles 1-2-(3) cm. long; bracts up to 8 mm. long, linear; pedicels (5)-10-25 mm. long, > bracts. Calyx-lobes 5-8 mm. long, linear-oblong, obtuse, glab. Corolla white to pink, bowl-shaped, 10-15 mm. diam.; tube very short, much < calyx; lobes 4, unequal, broad-obovate, obtuse, largest up to 8 × 9 mm. Capsule 4-6 × 4-5 mm., < or = calyx, obcordate, us. compressed, glab.

2n = 42

n = 21

n = 21

Low subshrub, 10–20(–30) cm tall. Old stems brown. Branches decumbent to ascending. Branchlets brown or green. Vegetative internodes (1–)2–10 mm long. Stem pubescence bifarious (found only at distal end of internodes), eglandular pubescent. Leaves decussate, erect to reflexed. Lamina linear to oblong (narrowly), (10–) 12–20(–30) × (1.5–)2–3.5 mm. Adaxial surface of leaves green, glossy. Abaxial surface of leaves pale green, dull. Leaf hairs sparse to scattered, along margins (especially at base), uniseriate eglandular. Apex rounded. Base cuneate. Margin ciliate (especially at base), entire. Petiole 1.5–3(–4) mm long. Inflorescence racemose, unbranched, 3–5(–7) cm long at fruiting, with (1–)2–5(–8) flowers. Indumentum of peduncle, rachis, and pedicels absent. Peduncle (0.5–)1–3(–4) cm long, glabrous. Rachis 0.4–1.7(–4.2) cm long, glabrous. Bracts alternate (spiralled) (basal pair sometimes subopposite), obtuse, eglandular ciliate (near base) or glabrous, linear to narrowly deltoid. Bract margins entire. Pedicels suberect at anthesis, incurved at fruiting, (8–)13–30(–40) mm long, glabrous. Flowers: Calyx 4-lobed, 4–6(–7) mm long. Calyx lobes lanceolate to deltoid or elliptic or obovate, acute to subacute (acuminate by infolding near apex). Calyx hairs absent (calyx glabrous) or on margins only (very sparsely), eglandular. Calyx lobe margins entire. Corolla white, sometimes blue (NW Nelson), rarely pink, at anthesis. Nectar guides evident, present on posterior and lateral corolla lobes. Colour ring and nectar guides magenta or purple (NW Nelson). Corolla throat yellow. Corolla (12–) 14–17 mm diam. Corolla tube 0.5–1.5 mm long, 1– 1.5 mm wide, hairy inside, hairs long. Corolla lobes glabrous. Posterior corolla lobe circular, obtuse to emarginate, (6–)7–9(–10) × (6–)7–9 mm. Lateral corolla lobes elliptic, obtuse, flat, not enfolding stamens, 5–8 × (4.5–)5.5–8.5(–10) mm. Anterior corolla lobe elliptic or rhomboid, obtuse, 6–7 × 4–5(–6) mm. Stamen filaments white, (4–)6–8 mm long, narrowed at base. Anthers rarely white or pink or magenta, 1.5–2(–2.2) mm long. Nectarial disc ciliolate. Ovary ellipsoid, emarginate, glabrous or eglandular hairy (at apex), (1–)1.2–1.3(–1.7) mm long. Style (4–)6–8(–9) mm long. Stigma 0.3–0.7(–1) mm wide. Capsules xerochastic, broadly angustiseptate (i.e., weakly flattened), didymous, (3–)3.5–4.5 × 3.5– 4.5 mm, 2 mm thick, usually glabrous or hairy (rarely and sparsely at apex only). Hairs eglandular, if present. Septicidal split of capsule extending to base. Loculicidal split of capsule extending 1⁄3–1⁄2 way to base. Seeds approx. 40–115 per locule, strongly flattened, smooth-surfaced, ellipsoid or obovoid or discoid, pale brown or dark brown or brown, 0.7–1(–1.3) × 0.5–0.7(–0.9) mm.