Small tufted annual, 6-10 cm tall. Stems often branching at the base, many, spreading, glandular-pubescent. Leaves basally congested, fasciculate on the shoots, 10-20 mm, linear to setaceous, sharply acute, pungent. Flowering stems glabrous with ± ciliate bases, slender, usually leafless. Inflorescence with spreading branches. Bracts and bracteoles minute, scarious. Sepals 1.5-2 mm long, glabrous, ovate, obscurely nerved, with wide scarious margins. Petals pink in bud, opening white, 1½-2 times the length of calyx, oblong, apex entire or emarginate. Capsule ovoid, about twice the length of calyx.

Fl. Per.: May.

Type: (Cyprus) in insulae Cypri campestribus, Sibthrop (BM).

Distribution: S.W. Asia, Iran, Cyprus, Palestine, Syria, Turkey.

Rare. Collected only once from Baluchistan.