Annual or biennial; shortly hairy, at least above. Stems erect, simple or branched, 30–60 cm high. Leaves sessile, sheathing, basal ones rosulate, linear-oblanceolate to linear, 25–65 mm long, 1–3 mm wide, acute, keeled, pubescent, margins smooth. Inflorescence 2–10-flowered; bracts herbaceous, acuminate, equalling flower-clusters; pedicels 3–5 mm long; epicalyx scales 2, lanceolate-subulate, hairy, more or less equalling calyx; calyx cylindric, 13–20 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, strongly ribbed, woolly, calyx-lobes 5, lanceolate-acuminate; petals 17–25 mm long, limb spreading, spathulate, 4–5 mm long, serrate, rose-red, pale-dotted; styles 2. Capsule more or less cylindric, shorter than or equalling calyx, c. 6 mm long; seeds black, bluntly tuberculate, 2.0 mm long, 1.5 mm wide. Flowers summer.
VVP, GipP, NIS, HSF, HNF, VAlp. Also NSW, Tas. Native to Europe, south-western Asia. Scattered in the north-east (Bogong High Plains, Omeo, Glen Valley areas), with older collections from Erica and Melbourne suburbs. Mostly on disturbed ground (e.g. track margins, dam walls etc.) in at least seasonally damp sites.
