Dwarf shrub, 5-25 cm high, grey to whitish with a very dense indumentum of 0.2-0.3(-0.4) mm long, stiff, straight or flexuose, spinulose hairs, spreading on the axes, adpressed on leaves and bracts. Stem up to 7 cm thick, branched from base, usually very short or even caudex-like; woody branches ascending or prostrate, up to 10 cm high. Annual shoots erect or ascending, leaf axils in lower part with condensed vegetative branches, higher up with much condensed few-flowered spikes, in dry condition very fragile. Leaves distichous, 5-8 x 1-2 mm, semi-terete, half-clasping with broad, slightly sheathing, 1.5-2.5 mm high base, apex rounded, leaves on side branches 3-5 mm long, often laterally flattened and obtusely keeled. Bracts similar to leaves of lateral shoots, strictly distichous, 2.5-4 x 2-2.5 mm, ovate in outline, about as long as the bracteoles and 0.5-2 mm shorter than tepals. Bracteoles 1.5-3.5 x 1.5 mm, keeled, slightly cucullate. Tepals narrow ovate, (2.5)3-3.5 mm long, the outer 1.4-1.6 mm wide, 2-3-veined, apex obtuse, lobed or subacute, transverse line at 1/4-1/3, above pilose with 0.5-1 mm long flexuose (in lower part) and straight (in upper part) hairs exceeding the apex. Anthers with appendage (2.2)2.5-3 mm long, divided up to the appendage; appendage free from thecae, with basal constriction, 0.8-1.3 mm long, near base 0.3-0.4 mm wide, narrow triangular, acute, rough; filaments 3 x 0.25 mm; disc thin, almost glabrous, scarcely lobed. Ovary subglobular; style (0.7)1-1.3 mm long; stigmas 0.7-1.2 mm long, 0.2(0.3) mm wide, flat to longitudinally furrowed, apex obtuse. Fruiting perianth 7-11 mm diam., wings subequal, widely overlapping, flexuose, margins usually undulate to dentate, in young stage sometimes orange to reddish, later pale brown; tepals just above the wings with a distinct cleft, at first arched, than strictly bent upwards, forming a steep cone or a column, loosely covered by persistent hairs; tepals below the wings moderately hardened, forming a cup-like structure, base flat. Seed 1.3-1.6 mm diam., horizontal.