Australina Gaudich.

Perennial herbs with prostrate and erect or ascending stems; monoecious, but with unisexual inflorescences. Leaves alternate or opposite, petiolate; cystoliths punctiform or linear; stipules lateral, free, or, in case of the leaves being opposite, partly fused to form interpetiolar stipules; lamina serrate or crenate. Bracts absent or minute, at the bases of only the ♂ flowers. Male inflorescences pedunculate in the axils of the upper leaves: ♂ flowers in a whorl at the end of the peduncle, (l–)2–4(–5); perianth conically fused at the base, unequally lobed in the upper part, the tip of the longer lobe inflexed at first, later reflexed, enclosing the single stamen; stamen at first inflexed, later reflexed; rudimentary ovary absent. Female inflorescences usually axillary, usually below the ♂ inflorescences, consisting of a sessile cluster of 1–5 flowers; perianth tubular, with ± 5 obtuse teeth at the apex, surrounding the erect ovary which is terminated by a filiform style. Achene ovate, enclosed in the persistent perianth.