Erect, almost glabrous subshrub 15- c. 50 cm high; stems to c. 1.3 cm thick, becoming woody. Lvs sessile, connate at base, strictly decussate and in 4 ranks, strongly imbricate, scarcely aggregated towards apex of shoots, 20-30 × 13-17 mm, elliptic or ovate-oblong, flat, green, without hydathodes; apex obtuse. Infl. thyrsoid and corymbose, to c. 8 cm across; main axis short and leafy. Fls 5-merous, 20-24 mm diam., few- c. 25, subsessile or on pedicels to 10 mm long. Calyx 1.8-2.5 cm long; lobes lanceolate, with ciliolate margins. Corolla 40-47 mm long, not star-like; tube 3-3.5 cm long, white at base, pink above; lobes 5, 1-1.2 cm long, ovate-oblong or elliptic-oblong, crimson, becoming recurved. Stamens and carpels (including styles) c. 3 cm long. Scales c. 0.8 mm long, ± oblong. Seeds not seen but fls not replaced by plantlets in infl.