HABIT	PERENNIAL HERB, 0.3-1.5 M TALL.
STEMS	FREQUENTLY WOODY; SIMPLE OR WITH LONG, ASCENDING, SOMETIMES INTRICATE BRANCHES. STEMAND BRANCHES TERETE, STRIATE, MORE OR LESS DENSELY WHITISH OR YELLOWISH-TOMENTOSE OR PANNOSE, WHEN DENSE THE INDUMENTUM OFTEN APPEARING TUFTED.
LEAVES	ALTERNATE, VERY VARIABLE IN SIZE AND FORM, FROM NARROWLY LINEAR TO SUBORBICULAR, DENSELY WHITISH OR YELLOWISH TOMENTOSE BUT USUALLY MORE THINLY SO AND GREENER ON THE UPPER SURFACE, MARGINS PLANE OR MORE OR LESS INVOLUTE, SESSILE OR WITH A SHORT AND INDISTINCT PETIOLE.
FLOWERS	FLOWERS DIOECIOUS. SPIKES SESSILE, CYLINDRICAL, DENSE AND STOUT TO SLENDER AND INTERRUPTEDWITH LATERAL GLOBOSE CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS. MALE PLANTS ALWAYS WITH MORE SLENDER SPIKES.
FRUITS	CAPSULE 1-1. 5 MM, ROTUND, COMPRESSED.
SEEDS	0.9-1.25 MM, ROUND, SLIGHTLY COMPRESSED, BROWN OR BLACK, SHINING AND SMOOTH OR VERY FAINTLY RETICULATE.