General:
Annual herb from a taproot; stems usually branched, spreading rough-hairy and sometimes also appressed straight-hairy, 10-30 cm tall.

Leaves:
Basal leaves mostly lacking; stem leaves linear, blunt-tipped, 0.5-3 cm long, densely straight-appressed to spreading long-hairy.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of naked, coiled "spikes", single or often paired; petals white, fused at base into a tube spreading (1-2 mm wide) at top to 5 small lobes, with 5 bulges at the throat; fruiting calyces 2-4 mm long, long, straight, appressed-hairy and usually also with spreading bristles.

Fruits:
Nutlets 4, clustered together, 1.5-2 mm long, lanceolate, with prominent sharp-angled margins and medial groove opening at base.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia