Annual with slender taproot, glabrous throughout or glandular-pubescent above. Stems slender, erect, 4–12 cm high. Leaves crowded below, distant above, sessile, linear-subulate, acute, 3-veined at base, 5–15 mm long, 0.2–0.3 mm wide. Inflorescence dense, much-branched. Flowers 5–6 mm diam.; pedicels glabrous or glandular, 3–5 mm long; calyx shortly pilose with glandular and eglandular hairs, sepals linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 3-veined, with narrow scarious margins, 3–4 mm long, 0.5–0.7 mm wide; petals oblong, entire, c. half as long as sepals, often absent. Capsule oblong-conical, shorter than or equalling sepals, rarely longer, opening with 3 long, narrow valves; seeds finely tuberculate, reddish-brown, 0.4–0.5 mm diam. Flowers Oct.–Dec.
GleP, Brid, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, WPro, OtR. Also naturalised WA, SA, Tas. Native to the Mediterranean area. A weed of sandy soils, often near the coast.
