Annual or perennial branched herb; stem prostrate to decumbent or suberect. Root exuding a purplish dye. Stem (-s), branches and leaves hispid, with small (up to 0.6 mm long) weaker hairs. Basal leaves 15-35 x 3-4 mm (cauline shorter), lanceolate, entire, ± revolute, tapering towards the base. Inflorescence a terminal scorpioid cyme up to 11 (-18) cm long in fruit, bracteate; bracts 4-8 mm long, lanceolate. Flowers heterostyled. Calyx 5-partite, 6-9 mm long, hispid, lobes unequal, linear-lanceolate. Corolla vinous to the outside, tubular; tube in long styled flowers 8 mm long, infundibuliform, 4-5 mm broad; lobes broadly ovate, margin entire to undulate, spreading, throat without hairs. Tube pubescent within just below the anthers (in long styled floweres). Anthers 1.5 mm long. Ovary deeply 4-lobed. Style simple, slender. Long styles reaching throat of corolla, short styles 4-5 mm long. Stigmas 2, flabellate. Nutlets ± 1.7 mm long, ovoid, light brown, minutely tuberculate.

Fl. Per.: December-April.

Type: Wadi Gamuth, Sieber s.n. (BM; GH; W).

Distribution: N. & E. Africa, Arabia, Pakistan.

Variable in habit. Plants from coastal areas tend to be prostrate as compared to plains from the inland plains (Kazmi, l.c. 492.).