Herbs, erect, branching from base, mostly 6-12 dm. Leaves alternate above; petiole 0.5-3 cm; blade green on both sides or distal leaves whitish abaxially, triangular to lance-triangular, (20-)30-85 × 6-90 mm, base hastate or sub-cuneate, margin subentire, entire, or irregularly dentate, farinaceous at first, later glabrous. Flowers in terminal or axillary ± paniculate inflorescences 6-25+ cm. Staminate flowers with 5 sepals. Pistillate flowers dimorphic, all bracteolate and lacking sepals. Bracteoles loosely spaced, of 2 sizes; large fruiting bracteoles oval to ovate, 5-6 × 5 mm, with faces lacking appendages, small ones similar in shape, 2 mm and wide. Seeds vertical; of large bracteoles yellowish brown, 2-3 mm wide, flat, dull; of small bracteoles black, 1.5 mm wide or less, shiny; radicle of brown seeds subbasal to median and antrorse. 2n = 36.
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