Herbs, annual, with slender taproot. Stems erect, 5–25 cm, glabrous. Leaves opposite; stipules distinct, subulate-filiform, entire, 0.5–0.9 mm, glabrous; petiole 0.6–1.1 mm, glabrous; blade linear, 6–27 × 0.6–1.2 mm, base symmetric, attenuate, margins entire, revolute, apex acute, sometimes mucronate, surfaces glabrous; only midvein conspicuous. Cyathia solitary at distal nodes; peduncles absent or to 1.5 mm. Involucre obconic to campanulate, 0.7–0.9 × 0.5–0.7 mm, glabrous; glands 4, pink to dark purple, nearly circular to oblong or reniform, 0.1 × 0.1–0.2 mm; appendages white, oblong, nearly circular, ovate, deltate, or forming thin margin around gland, rarely absent, (0–)0.1–0.2 × (0–)0.1–0.3 mm, distal margin entire. Staminate flowers 5–10. Pistillate flowers: ovary glabrous; styles 0.2–0.3 mm, unbranched. Capsules ovoid to subglobose, 1.5–1.8 × 1.6–1.8 mm, glabrous; columella 1.1–1.5 mm. Seeds whitish, brick red, light gray, or light brown, narrowly to broadly ovoid, 4-angled in cross section, 0.9–1.4 × 0.7–1 mm, nearly smooth, rugulose, with faint transverse ridges, or with 2–3 well-defined transverse ridges separated by shallow depressions.
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