Herbs prostrate or ascending, often ± pendent at apex, or subshrubs to 50 cm tall, monoecious. Stems 4-angled, strigillose on ridges. Leaves opposite in lower stems, alternate in upper ones, becoming smaller and denser, stipules broadly ovate, ca. 1 mm; subsessile; leaf blade: in lower stem linear-lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, 0.9-5 × 0.5-1(-1.5) cm (in upper stem lanceolate or narrowly ovate, 0.6-4 cm), thinly papery; 3-veined, base rounded or subcordate, apex acuminate or acute. Glomerules bisexual, in upper stems. Male flowers: pedicel 2-3.5 mm; buds 2 mm in diam.; perianth lobes (4 or)5. Female flowers sessile: perianth tube ellipsoid, ca. 2 mm, longitudinally 2(or 3)-winged, apex indistinctly 2(or 3)-toothed. Achene black, ovoid, ca. 1.5 mm.
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