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Dioecious shrub, often single-stemmed, erect, 1–3 m. tall. Stems much-branched above, branches ascending, ± papillate, densely leafy. Leaves in whorls of 3, pseudo-verticillate; blades (10)15–35(55) x (0.5)1–2(2.5) mm., linear to linear-lanceolate, glabrous, upper epidermis shiny, with large, conspicuous epidermis cells; margins revolute to ± flat; petioles subobsolete; stipular sheath hairy, with a narrowly triangular seta (0.3)0.7–1 (1.5) mm. long, sometimes flanked by a shorter seta on either side. Flowers subsessile (female) or with peduncles and pedicels to c. 1 mm. long (male),in clusters of many (very many: female) at nodes, inflorescences dimorphic, in female ± dense, cylindrical inflorescence zones; corolla 4-merous, greenish-yellow to pale yellow, sometimes reddish-tinged outside, glabrous. Male: tube 0.6–0.8(1) mm. long, (broadly) funnel-shaped, lobes 1.7–2.4(2.8) x 0.7–1 mm.; anthers (1.2)1.5–1.7(2) mm. long; rudimentary ovary sometimes hardly discernible, minute, with 4 ± linear to linear-lanceolate calyx lobes 0.1 -0.4 mm. long, and occasionally also rudimentary stigmas present. Female: tube 0.7–1.4 mm. long, lobes 0.4–0.8 x 0.1–0.2 mm.; style 0.5–1.5 mm. long, stigmas 5–9.5(14) mm. long; ovary 1–1.5 x 0.8–1.3 mm., with 4 long calyx lobes. Fruit reddish-brown, shiny; mericarps (1.8)2.2–3(3.5) x 1.3–1.7(1.8) mm., oblong, glabrous, with 2 narrowly triangular to ± deltoid calyx lobes (0.5)0.8–1.8(2.1) mm. long, often unequal in size, one sometimes only half as long as the other.