Shrubby monoecious perennial with dense stellate-dendroid hairs. Leaves alternate, lanceolate to elliptic or ovate, the broadest leaves slightly cordate at the base. Flowers in fascicles. Staminate flowers ebracteolate, with 4, hairy, membranous perianth segments. Pistillate flowers without a perianth but with 2, stellately hairy bracteoles which are united to above the middle and plicate. Fruit silky hairy enclosed within bracteoles; style short with 2, filiform stigmas. Seed erect with membranous pericarp; embryo horse-shoe-shaped, thick, green.

Very distinct shrubby genus with unisexual flowers and a stellate-dendroid indumentum; the fruiting bracts have long silky hairs.