Soft, semi-succulent, herbaceous perennial, up to 160 mm tall, single to multi-stemmed, branched from the base. Most parts beset with minute glandular hairs, becoming hairless with age, and aromatic (smellling of leberwurst). Roots fibrous. Branches 4-angled to almost rounded, at first pale to almost whitish green, becoming grey-brown, eventually black. The main branch up to 8 mm in diameter (9 mm at swollen nodes), often jointed (articulated) and becoming ribbed; the nodes distinctly swollen; internodes 10 to 30 mm long; the main branch often distinctly grooved (above each leaf axil). The younger branches 4 mm in diameter, sparsely covered with translucent glandular hairs. Leaves fleshy, in opposite pairs (decussate), with a short petiole 15–25(–30) mm long, the leaf blade broadly ovate to broadly triangular-egg-shaped to egg-shaped (ovate), 35–60 × 28–45 mm, the upper surface pale grey-green; the margin bearing 4–8 pairs of teeth (serrate), sometimes slightly wavy, often decurrent on petiole. The leaf tip is obtuse to almost rounded, sometimes almost acute. The leaf base is truncate to wedge-shaped.

Flowering time is in autumn (March–April in the southern hemisphere). The inflorescence is a lax, terminal, candelabra-shaped panicle, up to 150 mm high and about 220 mm wide. The peduncle is 3 mm in diameter at base, gradually narrowing towards the top. The flowers opposite, the other spikes bearing 1 or 2 flowers at each node (flowers pointing in the same direction), and 1–4 flowers opening at the same time on each spike; basal spikes up to 80 mm long bearing leaf-like bracts at base, each bearing short side branches from base. The flowers (corolla) white or light mauve, flattish (laterally compressed) the  tube 5–6 mm long, 0.7–1.0 mm in diameter, expanding to 2.5 mm at throat (angle of expansion about 35–45°). The stamens in 2 pairs, upper 2 longer, exposed for 4–6 mm, lower 2 shorter, with slightly larger anthers, exposed for about 2–3 mm; anthers of lower pair kidney-shaped, 0.7 mm long; the pollen pale orange. The floral disc circular, about 1 mm in diameter (bearing a prominent lobe in fruiting stage). The style at first 8–10 mm long, exposed for 3–4 mm from throat, bifid, lengthening up to 13 mm when ripe. The seed consists of roundish nutlets, 0.8 × 0.6 mm, smooth, black, shiny.