Annual, 5-20(-50) cm, almost glabrous except for the leaves beneath; usually erect to ascending, sometimes procumbent, often much branched especially in basal parts. Leaves somewhat fleshy; blade (0.5-)1-3(-4.5) cm, usually elliptic to ovate, sometimes narrowly elliptic, lanceolate or fairly broadly ovate, mostly coarsely sinuate-serrate to sinuate, sometimes subentire or slightly 3-lobed, usually ± obtuse at apex, variously attenuate at base, green and glabrescent above, glaucous - whitish and densely mealy below except for main veins, sometimes red especially on margins; bracts ± narrowly elliptic, dentate to seldom entire. Inflorescence mostly leafy, axillary and terminal; composed of small, dense glomerules arranged spicately or paniculately. Flowers dimorphic, terminal flowers bisexual, with 3-5 perianth segments and 1-5 stamens; lateral flowers mostly female, with 3 perianth segments and 0 or 1 stamen. Perianth segments free to base, glabrous, obovate, margin broadly membranous, apex ± truncate, back green, swollen in apical part. Stigmas 2, short. Fruits falling with perianth. Pericarp thin, greenish and free or almost so. Seeds vertical in the lateral flowers, horizontal in the terminal ones, reddish to dark brown, 0.9-1.0 mm long, roundish-ovoid, margin rounded; testa sometimes with reticulate striations especially in central parts, minutely pitted.