Erect annual herb up to ± 1.1 m., but generally much smaller, branched from the base.. Stems ridged and striate, slender, sparingly furnished with short multicellular hairs.. Lower leaves subglabrous, deltoid-pandurate with broad, blunt lateral lobes at the base, the lamina to ± 6 × 3.5 cm., the petiole 1.5–2 cm.; upper leaves lanceolate-hastate, rapidly reducing above and more shortly stalked, more obviously furnished with multicellular hairs.. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, simple or the terminal slightly branched at the base, of elongate thyrses up to ± 18 × 0.6 cm., formed of distant sessile clusters (reduced cymes) 4–6 mm. in diameter.. Bracts and bracteoles deltoid, acute, ± 1.5 mm., scarious with a percurrent yellowish midrib, usually ± ciliate below with multicellular hairs.. Perianth-segments elliptic-oblong, 2.5–2.75 mm., glabrous or furnished with a few multicellular hairs on the lower dorsal surface, white (pale straw-coloured when dry), 3–4(–5)-nerved with the nerves more prominent at the base, minutely denticulate at the apex.. Free portion of filaments subequalling or slightly shorter than the sheath, sinuses without teeth.. Ovary 8–9-ovulate.. Stigmas 2(–3), longer than the ± 0.5 mm. style.. Capsule ovoid, ± 2.5 mm., included.. Seeds ± 1.2 mm., black, shining, compressed, with convex hexagonal or rhomboid areolae centrally and feebly punctate reticulating furrows in the marginal half.
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