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Glabrous perennial herb with annual stems from a fleshy rootstock; rootstock, 20–30 × 2–4 cm, cylindrical; stems subfleshy to 35 cm high, rarely persistent and woody.Leaves sessile; stipules filamentous, c. 1 mm long, deciduous; lamina to c. 12 × 4 cm, lanceolate to obovate, rounded to obtuse at the apex and minutely apiculate, cuneate at the base, entire.Cymes axillary and in terminal 3-branched umbels with primary rays to 10 cm long, each forking 2–4 times.Bracts to 4.5 × 4 cm, deltoid, apex obtuse-apiculate, base subcordate, those at the base of the umbel similar to the leaves.Cyathia on peduncles to 1.5 mm long, 5.5 × 10 mm, with cup-shaped involucres; glands 5, spreading, 1.5 × 2–3.5 mm, transversely elliptic with outer margin obscurely crenulate; lobes 1.5 × 3 mm, rounded, margin entire and minutely ciliate.Male flowers many: bracteoles laciniate with feathery apices; stamens 8 mm long, with anther cells minutely hispid.Female flower: styles 2 mm long, joined at the base for 0.5 mm, then widely spreading, with shortly bifid apices.Capsule 1 × 1.2 cm, deeply 3-lobed; pedicel 2.5 mm long.Seeds c. 4.5 mm in diameter, globose; surface reticulately wrinkled, brownish-grey.