Annual herb. Stems usually 20-30 (-60) cm tall, loosely covered with short glandular hairs, branches axillary. Leaves opposite, flat, up to 6 (-8) cm long, (2-) 3-4 mm broad, narrow-linear to linear-lanceolate, attenuated upwards, apices obtuse, entire to rarely slightly dentate. Inflorescence opposite in the axils of the upper leaves. Peduncles 5-6 cm long, subpatent. Spikes dense, many flowered, 1-1.5 (-1.75) cm long, ovate-elliptic. Lower parts of the two lower most bracts rotundate-ovate, up to 4 mm long, then abruptly contracted and produced in to a narrow, thick, 4-6 mm rarely to 10 mm long acuminate upper part, covered with long white, glandular hairs; upper bracts very distinct from the lower ones, rotundate ovate to obovate, apices nearly truncate. Sepals 3.5-4 mm long, anterior concave, oblique elliptic-ovate to obovate, near the base narrow cuneate, obtuse, covered dorsally with short glandular hairs; posterior concave, ovate-lanceolate, short ciliate, dorsally covered on the keel by short, hard hairs. Corolla lobes 2 mm long, narrow-ovate, acute. Seeds 2.5-2.75 mm long, light reddish-brown, shining, narrow-elliptic.