Herbs, perennial, with woody taproot. Stems fascicled, spreading, branching throughout, 1–4.5 dm. Leaves alternate; stipules linear, to 1 mm; petiole absent; blade usually obovate-spatulate, rarely narrowly elliptic, 1–-4 × 0.5–1.5 cm, base cuneate, margins coarsely spinulose-dentate, teeth without prominent blackened tips, not incurved, apex rounded to obtuse; midrib prominent, secondary veins obscure. Inflorescences pedunculate, 2.5–-5 cm; staminate flowers ± widely spaced, 1 per node; pistillate flowers 3–4, widely spaced; bracts ovate, 1 mm, apex mucronate, glands patelliform, ± sessile, 0.7 mm diam. Staminate flowers: calyx 1 mm. Pistillate flowers: sepals fugacious, 3, minute; styles connate only at base, 1.5 mm. Capsules ovoid-pyriform, 4 × 5 mm, deeply 3-lobed; lobes of gynobase to 1 mm; columella persistent. Seeds gray to black, ellipsoid, 2.5 × 2 mm, smooth; caruncle minute.
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