Annual herb to 1 m. high, stem woody at the base; branches longitudinally ridged, glabrous or with a few scattered spreading hairs.. Leaves glabrous or with a few scattered hairs on both surfaces, ovate to 7.5 × 4 cm., base cuneate, apex acute, margin serrate, sometimes markedly so with gland-tipped teeth, midrib winged on the lower surface; petiole flattened, to 3 cm. long.. Cymes axillary and in terminal 3-branched umbels, with primary rays to 10 cm. long; bracts subsessile, similar to the leaves.. Cyathia sessile or very shortly pedunculate, 2.5 × 3.5 mm., with cup-shaped involucres and a few short hairs below the glands; glands 4, transversely elliptic, 1.5 mm. wide, yellow becoming brown; lobes rounded, 0.7 mm. wide, with finely ciliate margins.. Male flowers: bracteoles fan-shaped, deeply laciniate, apices ciliate; stamens 3 mm. long.. Female flower: ovary shortly pubescent; styles 1.5 mm. long, joined for 1/3, apices spreading, shortly bifid.. Capsule exserted on a slightly curved pilose pedicel ± 3.5 mm. long, subglobose with truncate base, 5 × 6 mm., thinly pilose with slightly spreading hairs.. Seeds conical, sharply 4-angled, 3.8 × 2.8 mm., apex acute, greyish brown, surface warty forming two horizontal ridges and crested angles.. Fig. 82/7–9.
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