Subshrub, 10-30(40) cm high; greyish green to whitish by a dense indumentum of ascending to semi-adpressed, 0.3-0.6(1) mm long flexuose, smooth hairs. Stem densely branched at base, often caudex-like and then up to 15 mm thick, flattened and blackish like the sturdy taproot; woody branches prostrate or ascending, at first cream-coloured, than turning brown; annual shoots of 2 types: - flowering shoots few, erect, 3-30 cm long, only in lower part with a few very long, loose, erect, thin spikes of (5)10-15 cm x 5-8 mm, in lower part with rosulate leaves in the axils of the caducous leaves; - vegetative shoots ± numerous, prostrate, with very short internodes, with persistent leaves. Leaves usually flat on both sides, linear to narrow lanceolate, acuminate, densely hairy, on flowering shoots 5-10 x 0.6-1.5 mm, on vegetative shoots 3-6 x 0.5-0.7 mm. Bracts leaf-like, the lower usually much longer than bracteoles and tepals, the upper as long as or slightly shorter, to (2.5)3.0 mm. Bracteoles rather uniform, similar to upper bracts, c. 3-4 mm long. Tepals lanceolate, 3.5-4(4.2) mm long, the outer 1.5-2 mm wide, 3-5-veined, the inner 3-veined, apex obtuse to acutish, transverse line at 1/3, above loosely hairy with 0.2-0.5 mm long, ascending, flexuose and straight smooth hairs. Anthers with appendage 2.5-3.2 mm long, divided up to the appendage; appendage connate to thecae, not constricted at base, 0.7-1.1 mm long, at base 0.3-0.4 mm wide, narrow triangular, obtuse, rough; filaments linear, 3-3.5 x 0.2 mm; disc thick, 0.2-0.25 mm wide, glandular, papillose, with short staminal and interstaminal lobes. Style 0.5-0.8 mm long; stigmas 1.0-1.3 mm long, flat or with a longitudinal furrow on upper side, apex crenate. Fruiting perianth 8-12 mm diam., wings subequal, overlapping, flexuose, brownish; tepal lobes above separated from the wings by a distinct cleft, than arched and bent upwards forming a steep, truncate cone or an open cylinder; tepals below the wings forming a hardened cup, base flat, narrow. Utricle 2.5-3 mm diam., horizontal, oblique or vertical.