Monoecious annual, little to much-branched herb to 60 cm high. Leaves: lamina broadly ovate, strongly dentate, acute to shortly acuminate, cuneate, rounded or cordate at base, (1.5–) 2–12 cm long, (0.9–) 2–6 cm wide, sparsely hispid with scattered hairs on upper surface, glabrescent, lateral veins 3–7 pairs, the basal pair reaching to more than half length of lamina; petiole 1–14 cm long. Panicles solitary, unisexual, shorter than leaves, sparsely hispid with many minute flowers; pedicels c. 1.5 mm long, not winged. Male flowers 5-merous; perianth segments navicular, 1–1.5 mm long, corniculate; stamens 5, white. Female flowers 4-merous; perianth with 2 segments c. 0.5 mm long, enclosing ovary, one smaller, hooded, and one minute, persistent; stigma minutely penicillate. Achenes c. 1.25 mm long, partially winged, the faces with central depressions.
Grows in rocky and disturbed areas, especially near the coast and behind beaches, preferring semi-shade.
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