Plants 2.5-3.0 cm long. Roots slender. Leaves 0.8-4.0 cm long, linear lanceolate to spathulate, with raphides on the undersurface. Sepals ovate, c. 1.8 mm long, persistent, margin white. Stamens 5, alternating with the sepals, less than 1 mm long; filaments dilated at the base. Carpel c. 1 mm long; ovary sub-globose, styles 5, free, lateral. Fruit parts with wall more or less fimbriate and with raphides. Seeds c. 1 mm long, minutely punctate, shiny.

Fl. Per.: Aug.-Oct.

Type: E. India, cult. at Uppsala (LINN.).

Distribution: Africa, Arabia, India, Ceylon, Afghanistan and W. Pakistan.

A plant of dry sandy places. Very variable in form and size; plants found near water or cultivated places are larger and the flowers have longer pedicels, the filaments are with a broader base. The plant is medicinal and used as a purgative.