Shrubs, 3–8 dm, monoecious. Stems much branched, stellate-hairy, viscid. Leaves not clustered; stipules 2–5 stipitate glands, to 0.5 mm; petiole 0.7–3(–5) cm, 3/8–5/8 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex; blade ovate to oblong, 1.5–8 × 1–2(–5) cm, base rounded to subcordate, margins entire to minutely glandular-denticulate, apex abruptly acute to acuminate, both surfaces pale green, abaxial densely stellate-hairy, adaxial tomentose, glabrescent. Inflorescences bisexual or unisexual, racemes, 3–7 cm, staminate flowers 20–35, pistillate flowers 2–6. Pedicels: staminate 3–4 mm, pistillate 1–2(–3) mm. Staminate flowers: sepals 5, 3–4 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 5, spatulate, 3–4 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins ciliate basally; stamens 15–35. Pistillate flowers: sepals 5, equal, 4 mm, margins entire, sessile-or shortly stipitate-glandular, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 0 or 5, white, subulate, 1 mm; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 3–5 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments 12. Capsules 4–5 × 4 mm, smooth; columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes. Seeds 3–4 × 2.5–3 mm, shiny. 2n = 20.
Rough pastures and rocky thickets, on limestone or gravel soils, at elevations from near sea level to 780 metres in Jamaica.
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