Perennial, much-branched, glabrous small shrub, 20–50 cm tall, sometimes reaching up to 75 cm, with rigid, sparsely leafy stems. Leaves are alternate, sessile to subsessile, entire, oblong-spatulate, up to 20 mm long and 4 mm wide. Inflorescence consists of terminal, lax racemes composed of 3–7 flowers. Calyx is small, about 3 mm long, with orbicular lobes and narrow white margins. Corolla is dark red and about 5 mm long. Flowers have 4 stamens and sometimes staminodes under the upper lip of the corolla. Fruits are subglobose capsules, approximately 4 mm long.