Herbs, perennial, often woody at base; taproot long and ropelike, woody. Stems decumbent to erect, usually profusely branched throughout, 2-15 dm, usually minutely pubescent, rarely glabrous basally, usually glabrous, rarely sparsely and minutely pubescent distally. Leaves mostly in basal 1/2 of plant; larger leaves with petiole 3-25 mm, blade broadly rhombic to elliptic-oblong, broadly to narrowly ovate, occasionally wider than long, 18-45 × 13-50 mm (distal leaves smaller, proportionately narrower), adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface much paler than adaxial surface, glabrous or with hairs on veins, neither surface punctate, base usually obtuse to round, sometimes shallowly cordate, margins entire or sinuate, often undulate, apex acute, obtuse, or round. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, forked ca. 6-8 times unequally, diffuse, without sticky internodal bands; branches divergent, terminating in 1(-3) flowers. Flowers: pedicel slender, 3-13 mm; bracts at base of perianth quickly deciduous, 2-3, linear-lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, 0.3-1.5 mm, quickly deciduous; perianth wine red to brick red, widely funnelform distal to constriction, 2-4.5 mm; stamens (4-)5(-6), well exserted. Fruits usually borne singly, gray-brown to brown, oblong-clavate, 2.8-4.2 × 1-1.5 mm (l/w: [2-]2.2-3.5[-3.8]), apex round to rounded-conic, minutely puberulent, sometimes minutely glandular, rarely glabrous; ribs 5, rounded, smooth or slightly rugose near sulci; sulci 1-2.5 times as wide as base of ribs, not rugose, smooth or minutely papillate.
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