HABIT	AN ERECT ANNUAL HERB.
STEMS	7 – 150 CM TALL, SMOOTH AND FLESHY, HOLLOW, MUCH BRANCHED AND WITH WHITE, SPONGY (AERENCHYMATOUS) TISSUES AT BASE.
LEAVES	SIMPLE AND SPIRALLY ARRANGED, LIGHT GREEN; BLADES OBLONG TO LANCE-SHAPED, NARROWED AT THE TIP, 10 CM LONG, BORNE ON SHORT STALKS.
FLOWERS	INFLORESCENCE GREEN, CYLINDRICAL, 7.5 CM LONG DENSE TERMINAL SPIKE; FLOWERS DENSELY CROWDED, WHITE TO GREENISH, SESSILE.
FRUITS	A FLAT, 4 – 5 MM DIAMETER GLOBULAR CAPSULE
SEEDS	YELLOWISH BROWN, 0.5 MM LONG.