Herbs, annual, rarely perennial, (0.2–)0.3–0.5(–0.9) m, not glaucous, with taproot or rhizomelike stolons to 35 blade; basal blades usually orbiculate, unlobed or slightly palmately lobed, 1–2(–10) × 2–5(–10) cm, wider than long, margins crenate, shiny; cauline blades rounded, deeply 5–9(–11)-lobed, 1–2 × 2–4 cm, lobes linear-elliptic to oblanceolate-obtuse, margins entire, ciliate, surfaces slightly hirsute. Inflorescences erect, spicate, dense, calyces sometimes overlapping, unbranched or branched, distal stem sometimes leafless, many-flowered, not 1-sided, 2–10 cm, elongating at maturity; bracts green or purplish, ovate to wide-elliptic, usually 2-fid, sometimes undivided, 2–6(–12) × 2–5 mm. Pedicels (2–)4–5 mm; involucellar bractlets absent. Flowers bisexual or infrequently unisexual and pistillate, plants gynodioecious; calyx often purple tinted or scarious, 4–12 mm, silky strigose-bristly at base and on veins, stellate-puberulent; petals usually pale purple or pink, rarely white, base pale or white, (9–)10–25 mm, pistillate shortest; stamens: outer filaments connate to apex, tube funnel-like, with continuous rim to which unstalked anthers attach; staminal column 4–9 mm, hairy in proximal 1/2; anthers white to pale purple; stigmas 5–9. Schizocarps 5–9 mm diam.; mericarps 5–9, often purple tinted, 2.5–4.5 mm, glabrous, not especially roughened, sides reticulate-veined, back deeply longitudinally grooved, mucro often appressed, 0.5 mm. Seeds 2–3.5 mm.
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