Herbs perennial, 35-70 cm high. Rhizomes strong, 5-7 mm in diam., with many slightly thick, fibrous roots. Stems erect, rather strong, 1 or several in a fascicle, evidently 4-or 5-noded; basal nodes with 1 pair of scalelike leaves. Scalelike leaves opposite, triangular, 0.7-1.3 cm, membranous. Leaves sessile, opposite, 4 on stem apex becoming whorled, obovate, rhombic, or elliptic, 12-20 × 7-12 cm, papery, glandular mucronate, pale green abaxially, sometimes reddish purple or only veins pale reddish, base cuneate, margin crenate or serrate, apex gradually angustate forming a tip ca. 2 cm; midvein and lateral veins densely scurfy pubescent; lateral veins 6-8 pairs; reticulate veins slightly prominent on both surfaces, conspicuous. Spikes terminal, with 2-4 pendulous branches; peduncle (4-)10-15 cm; bracts triangular or flabellate, ca. 1.5 mm, margin irregularly denticulate. Flowers white. Stamens 3, base free or nearly free, connate, or slightly overlapping, on outside of apical part of ovary; connectives oblong, 2-2.5(-4) mm, subequal; central connective with a 2-loculed anther, thecae at base of connective; lateral connectives with a 1-loculed anther each, thecae at rim of connective base. Ovary ovoid, ca. 2 mm; style absent; stigma truncate, margin dentate. Drupes brown, subglobose, ca. 2.5 cm; stalk ca. 1.8 mm. Fl. Mar-Apr, fr. May-Jul.
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