Perennial herbs, glabrous throughout; stem erect or slightly prostrate to ascending, up to 30 cm tall, woody at base, purplish. Stipules narrowly triangular, less than 1 mm, deep purple; petiole very short; leaf blade elliptic or obovate, 3-15 × 2.5-10 mm, thinly leathery or papery, base broadly cuneate or obtuse, slightly oblique, margin slightly revolute when dry, apex rounded, mucronate; lateral veins ca. 3 pairs. Plants monoecious. Inflorescences axillary, unisexual, with many bracteoles at base; bracteoles many, ovate, apex acute, brown; male inflorescences along upper parts of branchlets, 2-flowered, usually only 1 flower developed, female inflorescences along middle to lower part of branchlets, 1-flowered. Male flowers: pedicels short; sepals 6, oblong or obovate, subequal, ca. 0.5 mm, margin membranous; disk glands 6, small; stamens 3; filaments connate at base; anthers longitudinally dehiscent. Female flowers: pedicels very short; sepals 6, shape as in male, ca. 0.7 mm, apex obtuse, purple; disk patelliform, margin entire; ovary globose, 3-celled; styles 3, free, bifid at apex, lobes revolute. Capsules globose-triangular, 2.5-3 mm in diam. Seed brownish; testa granular. Fl. May-Jul or Aug, fr. Jun-Oct.
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