Annual herbs with a prominent adpressed or long spreading indumentum of smooth or barbellate hairs. Stem branched or not, erect or ascending. Leaves well-developed, not fleshy, alternate, sessile, entire. Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual, oblong-urceolate, solitary or several in upper leaf axils, usually without subtending bracts, forming lateral or terminal spike-like inflorescences. Perianth segments 5, membranous, connate to above middle, apically incurved; in fruit with short apical horns or prominent transverse wings. Stamens 5, exserted; thecae oblong, without appendages. Ovary oblong-ovoid. Style with 2 prominent papillose apical arms. Fruit vertical, ovoid, seed erect, with a horse-shoe-shaped embryo; endosperm present.

A monotypic genus related to Kirilowia Bunge and Kochia Roth. It differs from Kirilowia in having winged or horned fruiting perianth segments and from Kochia in having vertical seeds.