Annual or rarely perennial, herb up to 30 cm tall. Leaves with prominante filiform petiole, lamina up to 1.5 cm long, ovate to orbiculate, entire, acute or obtuse. Inflorescence of sessile cymose, axillary clusters of female and bisexual flowers. Bracts linear lanceolate to broadly ovate-cordate, equalling or longer than the perianth, much enlarged and concealing the female flowers at fruiting. Perianth red-brown at fruiting. Female flowers about 1.2 x 0.8 m, connivant in fruit. Bisexual flowers up to 2 mm long, cup-shaped with erect lobes. Achene reddish-brown to dark red, almost black.