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Leaves in whorls of 3, decussate or, occasionally, in whorls of 4, often pseudo-verticillate; blades spreading to ± erect, (4.5)6–45(55) x (0.5)0.8–5(8) mm., ovate-or oblong-lanceolate to ± linear, glabrous or variously hairy, but most commonly with short hairs (<0.1-0.3 mm. long) above and with longer hairs, to c. 0.5 mm., at least on midrib below; upper surface sometimes with conspicuous large epidermal cells; margins ± flat to revolute; petioles subobsolete or to 3 mm. on largest leaves; stipular sheath shortly hairy, with a hairy subulate seta (0.7) 1-3(3.7) mm. long, often flanked by a much shorter seta on either side.
Hermaphrodite, male: tube (1.7)1.9–2.5 mm. long, cylindrical, lobes 2–2.7 x 0.5–0.7 mm.; anthers 1–2.2 mm. long. Male: small rudimentary ovary, sometimes also rudimentary stigmas present; hermaphrodite: stigmas 1.9–4.7 mm. long, ovary 0.8–1.4 x 0.5–0.7 mm., glabrous or hairy, without or seldom with indistinct minute calyx lobes.
Female: tube 0.3–0.7 mm. long (1.2–1.7 mm. long if rudimentary anthers present), cylindrical, lobes 0.4–1 x 0.1–0.3 mm. (1–1.7 x 0.2–0.5 mm. if rudimentary anthers present); style c. 0–1 mm. long; stigmas 4–10.2 mm. long; ovary as in hermaphrodite.
Non-dioecious (hermaphrodite, female, occasionally hermaphrodite + female, hermaphrodite + male or male) short-lived (sometimes biennial) herb, ‘woody herb’ or subshrub with a somewhat woody base, erect to ± straggling.
Flowers in subsessile to slightly elongated axillary clusters of several to few at nodes; corolla 4-merous, yellowish to yellowish-green, at least near Ups of lobes hairy outside, rarely glabrous altogether.
Fruit reddish-brown; mericarps 2–3 x 0.8–1.2 mm., oblong to narrowly obovate, covered with whitish spreading hairs (0.1)0.3–0.7 mm. long at least near apex or entirely glabrous, without distinct calyx lobes.
Stems 20–100(150) cm. long, few-to ± much-branched, branches often ascending to ± erect, shortly hairy.
