Plants annual, taproot fleshy. Stems spreading or ascending, 7-25 cm. Leaves cauline, not forming basal rosettes; blade ovate to obovate or spatulate, flattened, 1-6 cm, glaucous. Inflorescences paniculate, loose, usually exceeding leaves. Flowers pedicellate; sepals ovate-orbiculate, slightly unequal, 3-5 mm, herbaceous, glaucous; petals disarticulate in fruit, usually 5, red-purple, 3-6 mm; stamens usually 5, anther yellow; style present; stigmas 3; pedicel 5-15 mm. Capsules ovoid, usually longer than calyx at maturity, 5-8 mm; valves 3. Seeds 20-40, dull gray, ellipsoid, 0.5-1 mm, white-hairy at 30×, strophiolate.

Flowering Mar-Apr. Sandy places near sea bluffs; 0-300 m; Calif.; Mexico (Baja California).

Cistanthe maritima is threatened in California by habitat destruction (J. P. Smith Jr. 1984).