Prostrate, robust herb with stems to 2 m long, glabrous. Leaves narrowly linear, usually semi-terete, acute, mostly 2-9 cm long, rarely obovate; stipules minute. Male plant: flowers in erect or ascending axillary and terminal racemes of up to 10 flowers; calyx broadly cupular, 2 mm long, shallowly lobed; stamens 11–17, the anthers 1.3 mm long; disc smooth. Female plant: flowers solitary, axillary, sessile or shortly pedicellate; calyx c. 1 mm long, the lobes triangular-ovate; ovary depressed-spherical, 3–4 mm diam., granular-papillose; stigmas tapering, 2–4 mm long, shortly united. Fruit indehiscent, depressed-spherical, hard, 10–20 mm diam., rugose to echinate, rarely almost smooth, orange-brown becoming straw-coloured; apical orifice enclosing old stigmas. Seed oblong, smooth, 2.5 mm long, bright brown, with basal aril.
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