Erect annual, branching from base, c. 30 cm high. Leaves thin, ovate to hastate with rounded apex and lobes, entire, sparsely mealy above, densely so beneath; lamina c. 10 mm long; petiole slender, from half to as long as lamina. Inflorescence a terminal slender panicle c. 2 cm long, lengthening to 10 cm in fruit, of disjunct compact glomerules. Flowers depressed-globular, c. 1 mm diam. Tepals orbicular, sessile or shortly clawed, densely mealy outside. Stamens 5, united into a thick disc at base. Fruiting perianth eventually hard, black, closely enclosing fruit. Pericarp finely papillose, brown to black, adherent to testa. Seed lenticular, 1.5 mm diam., with rounded margin; testa finely and irregularly pitted. Seed shed with enveloping perianth.
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