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Perennial herb or ± subshrub, 'bisexual', 'bisexual' + 'female', 'female', 'bisexual' + 'male', 'male' + 'bisexual' + 'female', less commonly 'male' or 'male' + 'female', several-to many-stemmed, somewhat woody near base and with often ± thick, woody root; sometimes rather short-lived. Habit variable: plants scrambling, straggling or trailing and with stems to 2.5(-3) m long; sometimes ± erect, cylindrical to rounded, to c. 0.3(-0.5) m tall and with ± thick, almost rosette-1ike base; occasionally low and ± mat-or cushion-forming with shoots c. (20-)75-150(-200) mm long. Stems unbranched to much branched; branches often ± regular, arising in pairs, frequently with short branches of a higher order, often with short shoots bearing rather small leaves. Leaves decussate; blades 5-55 x (1-)2-25 mm, ± ovate, ovate-lanceolate, lanceolate to ± linear-lanceolate, cuneate to rounded at base, glabrous, ± densely papillate or shortly hairy, often distinctly discolourous; petioles 0.7-6.5 mm long; stipular sheath typically with (3-)5(-7) filiform setae ['should not be confused with small, sometimes ± linear short shoot leaves crowded in axils of long shoot leaves!'] seldom with only 1 ± triangular seta, the longest (0.3-)0.7-6.1 mm. Flowers mostly on short lateral branches, in ± sessile to somewhat elongated clusters of many to 6 (less commonly only 2) at nodes; corolla 4-merous, greenish to yellow or yellowish, sometimes reddish purplish tinged, mostly papillate or shortly hairy at least near tip. 'Bisexual', 'male': tube(1.5-)2-3.7 mm long (in 'bisexual' often longer than in 'male'), cylindrical, lobes (1.5-)2-2.7(-3.4) x 0.3-0.7 mm; anthers (0.9-)1.2-2(-2.5) mm long; 'male': small rudimentary ovary and stigmas present, the latter hidden in corolla tube; 'bisexual': gynoecium as in 'female' but stigmas only c. (2-)2.4-5(-6.4) mm long. 'Female': tube 0.3-0.7(-1.2) mm long, lobes 0.3-0.7(-1) x 0.1-0.3 mm; style ±0-0.8 mm long; stigmas 2, (2-)4-0.2 mm long; ovary 0.5-1.2 x 0.4-0.7 mm, sometimes with 4 often indistinct calyx lobes. Fruit yellowish brown or reddish brown, mostly with ±broad, conspicuous longitudinal grooves between mericarps; mericarps (1.5-)1.7-2.5(-2.8) x 0.9-1.6 mm, elliptic, oblong to ±obovate, ± densely covered with ± tuberculate structures, shortly hairy, papillate or subglabrous, occasionally with 2 obscure, ± triangular to rounded calyx lobes c. 0.2-0.3 x 0.2-0.3 mm.
Low cushion or mat-forming, perennial herb or ± erect and tufted subshrub, 0.1-0.6 m high. Leaves lanceolate, shortly hairy, base cuneate; petioles ± 0.7-6.1 mm long; stipular sheath with filiform setae, 0.3-6.1 mm long. Flowers on short lateral branches, elongated clusters at nodes. Corolla papillate near apex. Bisexual and male flowers: tube 2.0-3.7 mm long, cylindrical; anthers 1.5-2.5 mm long. Female flowers: tube 0.3-1.2 mm long. Ovary 1.2 x 0.7 mm long; style ± 0.8 mm long, stigma 2.0-10.2 mm long. Flowering time all year. Fruit yellowish brown, oblong to obovate, mericarps with conspicuous longitudinal grooves between mericarps, up to 2.8 x 1.6 mm, densely covered with tuberculate structures.
Erect, scrambling, trailing or sometimes rosette-like, perennial herb or subshrub, 0.75-3.00 m high, not dioecious. Leaves decussate; blade ovate, narrowly ovate to linear, glabrous, papillate or shortly hairy, distinctly discolorous; stipular sheath with (3-)5(-7) filiform setae, seldom with 1 triangular seta. Flowers: corolla with tube up to 3.7 mm long, lobes up to 3.4 mm long; greenish to yellow or yellowish, sometimes reddish purplish tinged; Oct.-Feb. Fruit with mericarps elliptic, oblong to obovate, covered with tuberculate structures, shortly hairy, papillate or subglabrous, mostly with broad conspicuous longitudinal grooves between mericarps.
Erect, scrambling, trailing or sometimes rosette-like perennial herb or subshrub, 0.75-3.00 m high, not dioecious. Leaves decussate, ovate, ovate-lanceolate, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, glabrous, papillate or shortly hairy, distinctly discolorous. Stipular sheath with (3-)5(-7) filiform setae, seldom with 1 triangular seta. Mericarps elliptic, oblong to obovate, covered with tuberculate structures, shortly hairy, papillate or subglabrous, mostly with broad conspicuous longitudinal grooves between mericarps. Flowers greenish to yellow or yellowish, sometimes reddish purplish tinged.
Non-dioecious (hermaphrodite, hermaphrodite + female, female, hermaphrodite + male, male + hermaphrodite + female, less commonly male or male + female) perennial herb or ± sub shrub, several-to many-stemmed, scrambling, straggling or trailing, sometimes ± erect, occasionally low and ± mat-or cushion-forming, somewhat woody near base and often with ± thick, woody root; sometimes rather short-lived.
Hermaphrodite, male: tube (1.5)2–3.7 mm. long (in hermaphrodite often longer than in male), cylindrical, lobes (1.5)2–2.7(3.4) x 0.3–0.7 mm.; anthers (0.9)1.2–2(2.5) mm. long; male: small rudimentary ovary and stigmas present, the latter hidden in corolla tube; hermaphrodite: stigmas (2)2.4–5(6.4) mm. long, ovary 0.5–1.2 x 0.4–0.7 mm., sometimes with 4 often indistinct calyx lobes.
Fruit yellowish-brown or reddish-brown, mostly with ± broad, conspicuous longitudinal grooves between mericarps; mericarps (1.5)1.7–2.5(2.8) x 0.9–1.6 mm., elliptic, oblong to ± obovate, ± densely covered with ± tuberculate structures, shortly hairy, papillate or subglabrous, occasionally with 2 obscure, ± triangular to rounded calyx lobes 0.2–0.3 x 0.2–0.3 mm.
Leaves decussate; blades 5–55 x (1)2–25 mm., ± ovate, ovate-lanceolate, lanceolate to ± linear-lanceolate, cuneate to rounded at base, glabrous, ± densely papillate or shortly hairy, often distinctly discolourous; petioles 0.7–6.5 mm. long; stipular sheath mostly with (3)5(7) filiform setae, the longest (0.3)0.7–6.1 mm.
Stems slender, 7.5–250(300) cm. long, unbranched to much-branched; branches often ± regular, arising in pairs, frequently with short branches of a higher order, papillate, shortly hairy or sometimes glabrous, often with short shoots bearing rather small leaves.
Flowers mostly on short lateral branches, in ± sessile to somewhat elongated clusters of many to c. 6 at nodes; corolla 4-merous, greenish to yellow or yellowish, sometimes reddish-purplish tinged, mostly papillate or shortly hairy at least near tip.
Foliis fenis laevibus, caule herbaceo. Caules herbacei, diffusi, teretiusculi, rubri, laeves. Rami oppositi. Folia feno-verticillata, sessilia, lanceolata, laevia, uninervia. Flores axillares.
A fleshy herb. It can be erect or form a low mat. The leaves vary in shape and size. The flowers are in long clusters. They are greenish to yellow. The fruit are small and yellowish-brown.
Female: tube 0.3–0.7(1.2) mm. long, lobes 0.3–0.7(1) x 0.1–0.3 mm.; style 0–0.8 mm. long; stigmas (2)4–10.2 mm. long; ovary as in hermaphrodite.
Sprawling or trailing perennial to 3 m. Leaves decussate, shortly hairy, lanceolate. Flowers in elongated, axillary clusters, yellowish.
