Shrubs, 2-10 dm. Stems with branches ascending, densely villous-sericeous. Leaves alter-nate; blade ovate, ovate-lanceolate, or ovate oblong, 7-25 × 3-9 cm, densely villous abaxially, glabrate. Inflo-rescences: panicles 2-15 cm; bracts and bractlets of staminate flowers less than 1/2 as long as tepals; bracts and bracteoles of pistillate flowers nearly equaling tepals. Flowers: tepals white, elliptic to oblong, staminate flowers 2-2.5 mm, pistillate flowers 1.5-1.9 mm, apex obtuse, densely villous. Utricles included in tepals, ovoid, apex rounded. Seeds 1 mm.