A glabrous perennial up to 45 cm tall. Stem and branches decumbent. Leaves 15-40 x 4-8 mm, glabrous, oblanceolate or-linear-lanceolate, obtuse, nerves faint. Inflorescence terminal, simple or bifurcate, 3-6 cm long, with usually uniseriate flowers. Calyx 1.5 mm long, persistent, 5-partite into ovate-lanceolate lobes. Corolla white, tube short, c. 1.7 mm long, glabrous; lobes c. 1 mm long, obtuse-undulate, ± patent. Anthers 0.7-0.8 mm long, sessile, broader at the base, attached 0.7 mm from corolla base. Stigma conical, c. 0.5 mm long, sessile, stigmatic ring prominent. Ovary and fruit glabrous. Nutlets 2 mm long, brown, back ± rugose.

Fl. Per.: March-April.

Type: ‘Habitat in Americae’, Hb. Linn. 179/11 (LINN).

Distribution: America, Europe, Africa, Pakistan, India and Australia.

The only glabrous species in Pakistan, characterised by its fistular stems and halophytic nature. Found from sea level to 300 m.