Herbs, annual, 5–15 dm, monoecious; stems, leaves, and buds whitish-hairy when young, becoming glabrate. Stems well branched distally, stellate-hairy. Leaves not clustered; stipules linear, 2–7 mm; petiole 0.5–5 cm, glands absent at apex; blade ovate-lanceolate, 3–10 × 1–5 cm, base cordate to rounded, margins entire, apex acute, abaxial surface pale green, not appearing brown-dotted, no stellate hairs with brown centers, adaxial surface darker green, both stellate-hairy. Inflorescences bisexual, racemes, 2–4 cm, staminate flowers 3–10, pistillate flowers 4–8. Pedicels: staminate 2–4 mm, pistillate 1–2 mm. Staminate flowers: sepals (4–)5, 1–2 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 5, linear-oblong-lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; stamens 9–12. Pistillate flowers: sepals 7–8, subequal, 3–6 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface whitish appressed-tomentose; petals 0; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 3–4 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments 12. Capsules 6–8 × 6–7 mm, smooth; columella tipped with 3-pronged grappling hooklike appendage. Seeds 4–5 × 2–2.5 mm, shiny.