Erect bushy shrub to 20 cm high, dioecious. Branches densely scaly. Leaves narrowly elliptic, acute, 5–14 (usually 7–8) mm long, usually boat-shaped, entire, with a thick scaly indumentum. Male flowers congested in a spike c. 3 mm diam., to 10 mm long. Female flowers congested in a spike c. 3 mm diam., to 10 mm long. Female flowers 1–3 in axillary clusters. Fruiting bracteoles with short, cylindrical stipe 1–2 mm long; valves broadly deltoid, c. 6 mm long, 8 mm wide, often slightly cordate at base, sinuate-dentate on margin, free to base; appendages attached to centre of valves, bladder-like, often irregularly dentate and tuberculate, sometimes inverted horse-shoe shaped. Seed with lateral, erect radicle.
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