A perennial, monoecious, pubescent, stinging erect herb up to 35 cm. tall, somewhat woody at the base.. Petiole 2–9 mm. long; blade narrowly triangular-lanceolate, 2.5–5 cm. long, 0.75–2 cm. wide, acute, shallowly widely cordate, irregularly and coarsely dentate, membranaceous, 5-nerved from the base, lateral nerves 6–8 pairs, not prominent above, prominent beneath, sparingly setose above and beneath.. Stipules lanceolate, at first erect, later reflexed, 3 mm. long, glabrous on both surfaces, pubescent on the margins.. Inflorescences leaf-opposed, 2–4 cm. long, with the peduncles 0.5–2 cm. long, mostly ♂, with 2 basal female flowers; axis pubescent and stinging; ♂ bracts lanceolate, 1–1.3 mm. long, acute, entire, subglabrous, 1-flowered; bracteoles linear, minute; ♀ bracts elliptic-ovate, 3 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, otherwise as ♂; bracteoles narrowly lanceolate, 2 mm. long.. Male flowers: pedicels 1 mm. long, subglabrous; buds globose; calyx-lobes broadly ovate, 1 mm. long and wide, cucullate, glabrous; stamens 0.75 mm. long, incurved, filaments thickened at the base, anthers minute; pistillode 0.. Female flowers: pedicels 0.5 mm. long, thicker than those of ♂, pubescent; calyx-lobes 3, 2 mm. long, extending to 5 mm. in fruit, ovate in outline, with 4 subulate lateral lobules on each side, the terminal lobule also subulate, setose without, glabrous within; ovary trilobate, densely setose, 1.5 mm. diameter; styles 3, connate at the base, ± 1 mm. long, patent, recurved at the apex, the stigmatic surfaces papillose.. Fruit trilobate, 3 mm. long, 6 mm. diameter, evenly setose.. Mature seeds not known.
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