Tufted annual or biennial. Flowering stems erect, glabrous, or sometimes hairy below internodes, (3)-20-45 cm tall; all stems reproductive. Basal lvs soft, spreading to suberect, linear-oblanceolate, obtuse to subacute, dark green, 20-70 × 2-7 mm, glabrous or with hairs at least 0.3 mm long; cauline lvs erect, linear, subacute to acute, glaucous, hairy, becoming smaller above. Fls in clusters of 2-5-(10); pedicels < calyx. Epicalyx scales 2, ovate, awned, c. = calyx. Calyx cylindric, narrowed at apex, 14-18 mm long, with woolly hairs; teeth narrow-triangular, acute to acuminate, 4-5 mm long; margins very narrowly scarious. Petals deep reddish pink, toothed, bearded. Carpophore 1-2 mm long; capsule 10-12 mm long. Seeds black, flattened, ovate, c. 1.5 mm long.