Annual, not or sparingly branched, 7½-25 mm high; stem obtusangular, glabrous or very sparingly beset with patent minute hairs. Leaves (larger ones at least) long petioled, ovate-oblong from a cuneate base, in their upper part gradually narrowed to an obtuse or acute, minutely mucronate apex, glabrous or beneath on the nerves with few scattered, very minute, patent hairs, 1-6 by ⅓-2½ cm; primary nerves in dried specimens distinctly prominent beneath; petiole ¼-6 cm. Flower-clusters rather dense; lower ones axillary, consisting almost or entirely of ♀ flowers; higher clusters collected in axillary and terminal spikes, often forming together a terminal panicle, consisting mainly of ♂ flowers, in the lower part often intermixed with ♀ ones; bracts and bracteoles mucronate, shorter than the perianth. Tepals usually 4-5, sometimes 3, erect or obliquely patent, oblong-spathulate with a distinct mucro, scarious with a conspicuous but rather thin green midrib, 1⅓-1½ mm long, ⅓-½ mm wide. Stamens in ♂ 4-5, not rarely 3. Styles in ♀ 2-3, erecto-patent or recurved, ⅓-½ mm long. Utricle tipped by a thick conical beak, crowned by the styles, not rugulose, circumsciss; upper part falling away, leaving the much shorter cup-shaped persistent base in the perianth. Seed erect, lenticular, shining blackish brown, somewhat less than 1 mm diam.
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