Erect subshrub, 28-80 cm tall. Stem di-trichotomously branched, woody at base, branches terete, puberulous, lower and older branches glabrous, white; internodes 2-4 cm long, much longer in the flowering branches. Leaves opposite, 10-25 x 1-3 mm, sessile, ± fleshy, scabridulous, linear, oblong-spathulate, revolute, black when dry, stipules polymorphic, lower leaves without stipules or stipules shoe, ± ciliated, upper and floral leaves with an obconical membranous, shortly 6-8-toothed, glabrous involucrate sheath, c. 4 x 4 mm, whitish and reticulately veined. Inflorescence spicate, spikes bifurcating, 2-4 cm long. Flowers mostly solitary, ebracterate, 6-8 mm long. Calyx-tube oblong, c. 3 mm long, scabridulous; lobes membranous, 2-fid, accrescent in fruit, segments lanceolate or oblong lanceolate, acute. Corolla white, 4-6 mm long, puberulous above, glabrous within, deciduous, infundibuliform, 4(-5)-lobbed; lobes linear, obtuse, much shorter than tube, apex ± cucullate. Stamens 4 (-5), inserted in the throat of corolla-tube, 2 short, 2- or 3 long, ± half the lobes of corolla-tube; anthers dorsifixed, cordate-ovate, obtuse. Style deciduous, filiform, glabrous, included; stigma filiform, ± papillose above. Fruit 8-10 mm long (wing included), oblong, puberulous, with the enlarged scarious, free or connate at the base, oblong-lanceolate, white, reticulately veined, c. 5-6 mm long calyx limb.

Fl. Per.: Jan: June.

Type: Egypt (Mt. Sinai) Bove 208 (P, W).

Distribution: Egypt (Sinai), Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran and Pakistan.