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Leaf blade (2)5–8.5 × 0.3–2 cm, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate or ± linear, acute or subacute at the apex, coarsely toothed at least towards the base, otherwise subentire, cuneate or rounded to truncate or shallowly cordate and somewhat broadened at the base, membranaceous, 5(7)-nerved from the base, hirsute and with urticating bristles along the midrib and nerves above and more densely so beneath, except in var. glabriuscula; lateral nerves in 4–6 pairs, apically directed.
Inflorescences terminal, unisexual; males up to 35 cm long, females not more than 15 cm long usually much shorter; male bracts 2–5 mm long, lanceolate, ciliate, 3–more-flowered; bracteoles 1–2 mm long, linear-lanceolate; female bracts resembling the male bracts, but 1-flowered.
An erect, branched, urticating perennial herb to 60 cm tall, dioecious or sometimes monoecious; stems several from a woody rootstock, densely ± stinging-setose and hirsute or sparingly puberulous to subglabrous (var. glabriuscula).Stipules 3–6 mm long, linear-lanceolate.
Male flowers: pedicels 2–4 mm long; calyx lobes 3(5), 2–4 × 1–1.5 mm, elliptic, acute, cucullate, glabrous, green; stamens 3(4), 1.5 mm long; pistillode 3(4)-radiate.
Seeds 4 mm in diameter, globose, whitish, greyish or pinkish, flecked and mottled with chestnut-brown, and with scattered white rings of papillae.
Fruit 5 × 9–10 mm, strongly 3-lobed, smooth, setose on the keels, otherwise ± glabrous.
Petiole short, 1–10(20) mm long, or leaves ± sessile.
