Herbs perennial, stellate hairy. Stems sparsely tufted, diffuse or decumbent, 30--60(--90) cm tall, basally branched, apically densely stellate hairy. Leaves ovate or elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, 1--10 × 0.8--3 cm, both surfaces stellate hairy, midvein conspicuous abaxially, base rounded or clasping, rarely narrowed into short petiole, apex acute or acuminate. Flowers in sparse cymes; peduncles long, densely stellate pubescent; bracts ovate-lanceolate, herbaceous, margin membranous. Pedicel unequal, 1--3 cm, slender, densely stellate hairy. Sepals 5, gray-green, lanceolate, 4--6 mm, outside stellate pubescent, 3-veined, margin membranous, apex acute. Petals 5, shorter than or subequaling sepals, 2-cleft nearly to base; lobes linear. Stamens 10, shorter than or nearly as long as petals. Styles 3(or 4). Capsules ovoid, 4--5 mm, 6-valved. Seeds numerous, reniform, compressed, ca. 1.5 mm, ridges tuberculate. Fl. Apr--Jun, fr. Jun--Aug. 2n = 24, 26, 28.

Stony places, grassland slopes, forests; 600--3600 m. Fujian, Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Philippines, Sikkim, Vietnam].