Plants forming extensive open colonies, 1.4-10 dm; twigs bright green, ± angled, hairy in lines. Leaves persistent for 1+ years; blade green, elliptic, 5-9 × 3-5 mm, coriaceous, margins ± serrulate, surfaces glandular abaxially. Flowers: calyx pinkish white, becoming greenish, glabrous; corolla white to pink or red, ± urceolate, 4-8 mm; filaments ciliate along margins. Berries black, 7-9 mm diam., glabrous. Seeds 4-13, ca. 1 mm. 2n = 24, 48.

Flowering winter-spring. Flatwoods, sand-pine scrub, oak-palmetto scrub, scrubby flatwoods, rosemary balds; 0-30 m; Ala., Fla., Ga., S.C.