Herbs annual (?perennial). Stems erect, often reddish, 60-90 cm tall, sparsely hispidulous, branched above, swollen at nodes. Leaves without peppery taste; petiole 4-7 mm, densely hispidulous; leaf blade ovate-lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, 5-10 × 1-2.5 cm, both surfaces densely hispidulous, base broadly cuneate, margin ciliate, apex acuminate or acute; ocrea tubular, 1-1.5 cm, membranous, hispid, apex truncate, stoutly long ciliate. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, spicate, pendulous, lax, 7-15 cm, interrupted below; bracts green, funnel-shaped, margin submembranous, ciliate, each 3-or 4-flowered. Pedicels longer than bracts, slender. Perianth green, red above, 5-parted, densely purplish glandular punctate; tepals elliptic, 3-4 mm. Stamens 8, included. Styles 3, connate to below middle. Achenes included in persistent perianth, black, dull, ovoid, trigonous, 2.5-3 mm, densely pitted. Fl. Aug-Sep, fr. Sep-Oct.
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