Perennial herbs, 25-50 cm tall, few branched; stems appressed pubescent. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, ca. 1.5 mm; petiole 1-4 mm; leaf blade lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-5.5 × 0.5-2.5 cm, papery, abaxially pubescent or pilose along veins, adaxially pilose, base broadly cuneate or obtuse, margin crenate or incised-dentate, apex acuminate, rarely acute. Inflorescence 6-15 cm, pubescent; bracts ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-3 mm. Male flowers 2-4 per bract; pedicels ca. 1 mm; sepal ovate, ca. 1.5 mm; petals orbicular-obovate or obcordate, ca. 0.5 mm; stamens 8-15; filaments pilose; disk glands 5. Female flowers 1 or 2 per bract, sometimes with 1 or 2 male flowers; sepals ovate-lanceolate, ca. 1.5 mm, pubescent; petals orbicular-obovate or obovate, ca. 0.5 mm; ovary pubescent, verrucose; styles 3, short, 2-lobed, plumose-lacerate. Fruiting pedicels 3-5 mm; capsule 3-lobed, ca. 6 mm in diam., usually sparsely verrucose and pilose. Seeds ovoid, 2-2.5 mm, brownish. Fl. and fr. May-Sep.