Herbs annual, 15-60 cm tall. Root brown. Stem erect, much branched, terete; branches obliquely or slightly spreading, usually slightly curved above. Leaves gray-green, linear to narrowly elliptic, 0.5-1 cm × 1-2 mm, abaxially convex, adaxially plane, base attenuate, apex shortly acuminate. Glomerules axillary, usually 3-6-flowered; bractlets ovate to ovate-lanceolate, margin slightly toothed. Flowers bisexual and female. Perianth segments usually oblique, 3-winged, abaxially with a longitudinal keel throughout length, apex cucullate. Anthers broadly ovate to oblong, ca. 0.6 mm. Ovary ovoid, apex slightly concave; style absent; stigmas 2 or 3, minute. Utricle enclosed by perianth; pericarp free from seed. Seed horizontal, vertical, or oblique, red-brown to black, sublustrous, ovoid, 0.8-1 × 0.7-0.8 mm, smooth, rim margin obtuse. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct.
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