An erect monoecious pubescent little-branched urticating subshrub up to 25 cm.. Petiole 3–8 mm. long; blade ovate, 1.5–2.5 cm. long, 1–2 cm. wide, obtuse, cordate, crenate-serrate, chartaceous, 3–5-nerved from the base, lateral nerves 3 pairs, wavy, impressed above, slightly prominent beneath, sparingly to evenly pubescent above and beneath.. Stipules lanceolate, 3–4 mm. long, sparingly pubescent.. Inflorescences leaf-opposed, (4–)6–7.5 cm. long, the peduncles 3–5 cm. long, mostly ♂ with 1–2 basal ♀ flowers; axis densely pubescent, urticating; ♂ bracts narrowly lanceolate, 2–2.5 mm. long, acute, entire, ciliate, 1-flowered; bracteoles linear, 1–1.5 mm. long; ♀ bracts elliptic, 3.5–4 mm. long, otherwise as in ♂; bracteoles lanceolate, 2 mm. long.. Male flowers: pedicels 1 mm. long, pubescent; buds globose; calyx-lobes ovate, 2 mm. long, cucullate, sparingly pubescent or subglabrous; stamens 1 mm. long, filaments as long as the anthers; pistillode trifid, flat, the segments dilated at the apex.. Female flowers: pedicels as in ♂; calyx-lobes 6, 2 mm. long and ovate in outline, extending to 1 cm. in fruit and becoming lanceolate in outline, with 3–4 lateral, oblong, pubescent lobules on each side; ovary trilobate, 2 mm. diameter, densely pubescent; styles 3, 2 mm. long, united for half their length, glabrous, the stigmas suberect, smooth.. Fruit trilobate, 6 mm. long, 1 cm. wide, smooth, evenly pubescent and beset with stinging hairs.. Seeds globose, 4 mm. diameter, chestnut-brown, marbled greyish, white-spotted, the spots minutely papillose on their margins.
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