Taprooted annual herb. Stems (1)-many, ascending, glabrous, often reddish, 10-40 cm tall. Rosette lvs obovate-spathulate, acute, ciliate, 30-70-(100) × 3-6 mm, tapering to subsheathing base; stem lvs similar, smaller, not becoming sessile, acute. Infl. terminal, racemose; bracts leaflike; pedicels erect, glabrous or sparsely hairy, 3-15-(25) mm long. Sepals lanceolate-ovate, acute, keeled at apex, cuneate and free at base, ciliate on margins and keel, (5)-7-10 × (3)-4-6 mm. Petals 5, purple, (8)-10-13 mm long. Stamens c. 10; anthers yellow; filaments white or purple. Stigmas 3, white. Capsule ellipsoid, c. = sepals, dehiscing by 3 valves. Seeds lenticular, black, smooth, shiny, 1.5-2 mm long.