Herbs perennial, stoloniferous, dioecious or monoecious. Stems ascending, simple or branched, 20-150 cm tall, succulent, glabrous or sparsely multicellular pubescent adaxially. Stipules persistent, triangular-ovate, 1.5-2 mm, herbaceous; petiole strongly unequal in length, 0-2.5 cm; leaf blade abaxially pale green, adaxially green, asymmetric, strongly unequal in shape and size; the major blade falcate-lanceolate, ovate-or oblong-lanceolate, 5-16 × 1.5-5 cm, membranous, 3-veined, lateral veins many, regularly transverse, reticulate, cystoliths minute, shortly fusiform, conspicuous on both surfaces, base deeply or shallowly cordate, rarely rounded, margin entire or shallowly 1-3-serrate distally, apex caudate-acuminate; the minor blade sessile, triangular-ovate, oblong, rarely falcate lanceolate, 1.5-3(-6) × 0.4-2(-3) cm, base deeply cordate, almost around stem or hastate, rarely subrounded, margin entire or 1-or 2-serrulate near apex, apex acute or acuminate. Male inflorescences spikelike, somewhat coiled distally, few branched, flowers or glomerules loosely arranged along 1 side of axis 3-8(-19) cm, female inflorescences cymose-racemose or cymose-paniculate, branched, shorter, 2-6 cm, glabrous or pubescent. Male flowers ca. 1.2 mm; pedicel 0-1 mm, thin; perianth lobes 4, ovate, connate 1/2 of length, subapically corniculate; stamens 4; rudimentary ovary minute, conic. Female perianth lobes unequal, abaxial lobe hooded, 1/2 as long as achene, lateral 2 lobes triangular-ovate, 1/2 as long as abaxial lobe, membranous. Achene brownish, ovoid, slightly oblique, ca. 1 mm, slightly compressed, smooth, enclosed by persistent perianth. Fl. Jun-Sep, fr. Sep-Dec.
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