E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

General:
Annual herb from a taproot; stems erect, branched, 1.0-1.5 m tall.

Leaves:
Lower leaves opposite, upper leaves alternate, stalked or stalkless, triangular, 1-5 cm long, the base arrowhead shaped, smooth or toothed, covered with a whitish mealy substance below but becoming glabrous and greenish on both surfaces above.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of terminal or axillary spikes or panicles; pistillate flowers of 2 kinds, one with small bracteoles and one with large bracteoles, the bracteoles rounded and shortly long-pointed at the base, lacking teeth, 5-6 mm long, veins merging only at the base.

Fruits:
Membranous pericarps; seeds of the small bracteoles black, 1.5 mm long, erect, those of the large bracteoles brown, 2-3 mm long, erect.