Annual or short-lived perennial up to 1 (–2) m. tall, lignified at the base, branched from the base or throughout, pubescent in the upper part, mixed with sparse to abundant long erect hairs.. Leaves alternate, usually diminishing in size towards the top of the shoots; stipules membranous, translucent, usually greenish, ovate to lanceolate, shortly caudate, ciliate, 2–4 mm. long, ± 1 mm. wide; petioles 0.1–3(–5) cm. long, pubescent, occasionally with scattered long hairs intermixed; lamina lanceolate to ovate, 1.5–9.5 cm. long, 0.5–3.5 cm. wide, base cuneate, margin entire, apex acuminate; lateral nerves 4–5 pairs, basal pair reaching 3/4 towards apex; upper surface with scattered stiff, appressed hairs and punctiform cystoliths, lower surface with a ± prominent arachnoid indumentum (sometimes completely absent), and long stiff hairs on the nerves.. Inflorescences axillary, restricted to upper part of the stems, bisexual glomerules, with 1–2(–3) ♀ flowers and a number of ♂ flowers, usually mixed with broadly cordate foliaceous bracts with rounded apex, ± 1 mm. long, densely furnished with hooked hairs (sometimes also with membranous lanceolate, pubescent bracts, perhaps stipules of the cordate bracts).. Male flowers on pedicels ± 0.5 mm. long; perianth globular, ± 1 mm. in diameter, pubescent and densely furnished with hooked hairs, 4(–5)-merous.. Female flowers sessile; perianth ± 1 mm. long, tubular, constricted at the apex, with 8–10 ± clearly marked longitudinal lines, pubescent to pilose; ovary enclosed, ± 1 mm. long; stigma protruding, bent over or curled up in a glomerule ± 0.5 mm. in diameter.. Achene ± 2 mm. long, compressed, white to brown, enclosed in the persistent perianth which is unwinged or rarely provided with 2 very narrow longitudinal wings.
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A herb. It can be woody at the base. It grows 1-2 m tall. It varies a lot. It can grow each year from seed or last for a few years. The leaves are alternate and simple. The leaf stalk is about 3 cm long. The blade is sword shaped or oval and 2-9 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. The flowers are in groups on the axils of leaves. There are 1-2 female flowers and several male flowers. The fruit is flat and dry. It is 2 mm long.
An erect or spreading herb, to 4 ft. high, slightly long-pubescent, more or less woody below
Secondary forests; riverine forest in savannah areas; humid wooded grassland; open places: lake sides, forest edges and clearings, way sides, villages, rubbish; gregarious, very common; in shade under trees; sometimes among rocks; to 1,300 metres.
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A tropical plant. It grows in open places and near villages in the forest zone of West Africa. It is often in moist shaded woodland. It grows between 600-1,300 m above sea level.
In open places, mainly in the forest regions.
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