Plant: Annual herb, ascending to erect, 1-7 dm, bushy, monoecious Leaves: cauline petiole 5-50 mm, blade 8-30(70) mm, elliptic to obovate, generally early deciduous; axillary leaves generally smaller, persistent Inflorescence: clusters axillary, throughout plant; bracts 2-3.5 mm, green, spined, margin scarious Flowers: Staminate flower: sepals 3, ± 1 mm; stamens 3; Pistillate flower: sepals 3, 0.7-2.2 mm, subequal, oblong-lanceolate, tip acute to obtuse, margin scarious Fruit: 1.5-2 mm, circumscissile; surface rough throughout; Seed ± 1 mm wide, red-brown Misc: waste places, roadsides, fields; < 2200 m; Jun-Oct References: J.C. Hickman, ed. The Jepson Manual.