Herbs, perennial, with deep stout rootstock. Stems erect, branched, densely clumped, previous year’s dead stems persistent, 25–45(–60) cm, glabrous, striate. Leaves alternate, persisting, usually reflexed, occasionally spreading; stipules 0.1–0.3 mm; petiole 0.2–2.2 mm, glabrous; blade narrowly ovate to lanceolate proximally, narrowly lanceolate, linear, or filiform distally, 10–32 × 0.5–6.5 mm, base cuneate, margins entire, apex acute, surfaces pilose when young, sparsely strigose or glabrous with age; venation obscure, only midvein conspicuous. Cyathia in terminal monochasia (thus appearing solitary at alternate nodes); peduncle 0.5–2.5 (or 10–25) mm, glabrous or sparsely strigose. Involucre turbinate to campanulate, 2.2–3.7 × 1.5–2.5 mm, moderately strigose; glands 5, dark green, reniform, 0.7–1.1 × 1–1.6 mm; appendages white to pink, flabellate, 0.5–1.5 × 0.8–2.2 mm, dentate or erose. Staminate flowers 20–25. Pistillate flowers: ovary strigose; styles 1–1.3 mm, 2-fid at apex. Capsules subglobose, 2–3 × 4 mm, sparsely strigose; columella 2–3 mm. Seeds gray-green to gray-brown, globose-ovoid, 1.8–2.2 × 1.2–1.6 mm, longitudinally pitted; caruncle absent.
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