Annual herb, 10-50 cm tall. Stem slender, erect, branched, glabrous to slightly hispid. Leaves alternate, linear to lanceolate, 1-3 cm long, c. 4 mm broad; margin scabrid. Flowers in lax, spreading corymbose cymes, ebracteate; pedicel 6-12 mm long, slender. Sepals free, persistent, 5-6 mm long, ovate, acuminate; margin scabrid, glandular. Petals obovate, as long as the sepals, entire, glabrous, contorted, yellow. Stamens 5; filaments c. 2.2 mm long, anthers elliptic-oblong, 1 mm long; Staminodes 5, slender, alternating with the stamens. Ovary ovoid; styles free, 2 mm long; stigma sub-capitate. Capsule sub-globose, c. 3 mm long, splitting into 10, 1-seeded cocci; seeds oblong, 1.5-2 mm long, reddish brown, shiny.

Fl. Per. March-June.

Type: Described from Trieste (Italy).

Distribution: S. Europe. Mediterranean region, Canary Islands, E. Africa, Afghanistan, India and W. Pakistan.

A common spring annual with small yellow flowers. It grows in the plains and hills up to' 23C0 m.