Annual; grey-pubescent throughout. Stem erect, simple, or sometimes basally few-branched, 10–16(–25) cm. Leaves sessile, linear-lanceolate, 20–30 mm long, 0.3–2.5 mm wide. Inflorescence 5–30-flowered; bracts herbaceous. Flowers bisexual; pedicels 5–25 mm long; calyx cylindric-oblong, becoming ovoid in fruit, to 15 mm long, 30-veined, glandular or eglandular, calyx-lobes one-third calyx length, acuminate; petal-limb 3–5 mm long, white, pink or purplish, obcordate; styles 3. Capsule obovoid-conical, 7–12 mm long; carpophore absent or to 2 mm long, glabrous; seeds subdiscoid, rim obtusely grooved, grey-pruinose, bluntly tuberculate, 0.6–1.0 mm diam. Flowers mainly Nov.
Brid, VVP, GipP. Also naturalised SA. Native to northern Africa, Europe, southwestern Asia. An uncommon weed, probably a casual garden-escape and rarely persisting.
Source:
Adams, L.G. (1996). Caryophyllaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 228–271. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
