Dwarf shrub, 0.1-0.3 m high; dioecious; ± rounded, woody, many-stemmed, intricately branched. Leaves decussate or pseudo-verticillate, small, ± elliptic to needle-like, glabrous, margins ± papillate. Inflorescences few-flowered, reduced. Flowers in clusters of 2. Male flowers small; corolla tube short, funnel-shaped; lobes recurved, ± lanceolate; anthers yellowish to whitish, exserted. Female flowers: corolla much smaller than male flowers. Ovary 2-locular; stigmas 2, long-exserted, hairy, often purplish red. Flowering time Oct.-Feb. Fruit inflated, ± 1.7-3.2 mm in diam., subglobose to ± ellipsoidal, crowned by 4 persistent calyx lobes.
Dwarf shrub, rounded to ± cylindrical, cushion-to mat-forming if browsed, 100-300(-400) mm high. Leaves decussate; blade ovate to ± elliptic, ± linear-lanceolate or lanceolate in new growth, (1.5-)2.0-4.0(-5.4) x 0.7-1.2 mm, glabrous or sometimes with papillose margins. Flowers: in axillary clusters of 2(-6); corolla tube up to 0.7 mm long, lobes up to 2.2 mm long; corolla pale yellow to greenish yellow, sometimes reddish purplish tinged outside; Oct.-Feb. Fruit inflated, subglobose to ± ellipsoidal, dehiscent, 1.7-3.2 mm in diameter, glabrescent or papillose.