Leafless, dioecious shrubs of moderate size, mostly 0,5-1 m high, often pale yellow­ish green; younger branches strongly flattened, minutely ribbed; older stems rounded; basal internodes of younger branches (10-) 15-20 (-30) x 3-4 mm, bearing a minute but distinct, pale yellow margin, this transformed into a wing on older stems. Staminate flowers in dichasia (sometimes 2-flowered), sessile, mostly solitary at nodes of younger branches. Pistillate flowers solitary in bracteal cup, sessile at nodes of younger branches; bracteal cup acute, bilobed, margin scarious. Berries ovoid-ellipsoid, 4-5 mm long, developing a short pedicel (c. 1 mm long), strongly warty only on upper half at maturity, dull orange. Flowering approximately June through July; n=14. Fig. 16.