Shrubs, to 1.2–2.5 m, dioecious. Stems erect, grayish white, branched from base, woody-succulent, canescent; short shoots common; latex watery, cloudy-whitish. Leaves deciduous, mostly ± evenly distributed on long shoots, few on short shoots; stipules absent; petiole 1.3–3 cm, not stipitate-glandular; blade cordate to broadly ovate, 2.2–3.5 × 1.6–3 cm, unlobed or shallowly 3-lobed, base truncate-cordate, margins entire, apex rounded, ± coriaceous, abaxial surface canescent, adaxial surface sparingly hairy; venation pinnate (palmate if lobed). Inflorescences terminal on branches or on short shoots, staminate cymes, pistillate fascicles, or flowers solitary; peduncle 1–2.6 cm; bracts 1–2.5 mm, margins entire, sparsely hairy. Pedicels 2–3 mm. Staminate flowers: sepals connate to 1/4 length, lanceolate, 2–2.5 × 0.5–0.8 mm, margins entire, apex acute, canescent abaxially, glabrous or sparingly hairy adaxially; corolla grayish white, sometimes pinkish abaxially, subglobose-urceolate, petals connate 3/4–4/5 length, 5–8 × 1–2 mm, surfaces sparingly hairy; stamens 10 in 2 whorls (5 + 5); filaments of outer whorl connate 1/2 length, of inner whorl connate 1/4 length, outer whorl 2–3 mm, whorl series 4–5 mm. Pistillate flowers resembling staminate, but sepals connate only at base, 3–3.5 × 1.5–2 mm; petals connate 1/2–3/4 length, 8–11 × 3–5 mm; carpels 2[–3]; styles connate 3/4 their lengths, 2–5 mm. Capsules compressed ellipsoidal, 1.2–1.5 × 2–2.5 cm, 2-lobed [ellipsoidal, 3-lobed], tardily dehiscent. Seeds solid brown, subspheric, 9–12 mm; caruncle absent. 2n = 22 (Mexico).
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