Herbs monoecious (or entirely pistillate), erect, much-branched, rounded, bushy, 0.5-6 dm. Stems mostly ascending, terete. Leaves: petiole 0.3-2 cm; blade 10-50 × 5-25 mm, base varying from shortly hastate to truncate or cuneate. Staminate flowers in small to moderate, axillary glomerules near ends of branches, or in bracteate terminal spikes. Pistillate flowers in axillary clusters. Fruiting bracteoles lanceolate or oblong, 5-14(-20) mm, sharply lobed to tuberculate at base, also often sharply cristate below usually attenuate apical lobe; tips widely recurved-spreading. Seeds brown, 1.2 mm.

Flowering Apr-Aug. Valley bottoms, silty or clay, less commonly, sandy alluvium with greasewood; 1200-1500 m; Nev.