Plants 2–10(–14) cm. Stems usually 2–10, ascending to prostrate, sometimes 1, ± erect; branches mostly distal (sometimes absent). Leaves basal and cauline, sessile or obscurely petiolate, largest 8–16(–28) × 2–3(–4) mm, very unlike pistillate paleae; bases (of leaves or petioles) ± attenuate, 1-nerved, greenish, herbaceous, scarcely involucral. Heads in glomerules of 2–5 in ± cymiform arrays, 3.5–5 mm (excluding staminate paleae). Phyllaries usually 3–6, minute, ± equal, hyaline, unlike pistillate paleae, sometimes vestigial or apparently 0. Receptacles fungiform, 0.9–1.5 mm. Pistillate paleae: wings prominent, erect, ovate, ± plane. Staminate paleae 5, broadly lanceolate, 2.7–4.1 mm, surpassing pistillate; apices uncinate, terete, acuminate, cartilaginous, spinose. Staminate corollas actinomorphic, 1–1.5 mm, lobes (4–)5(–6), ± equal. Cypselae 1.4–2 × 0.6–0.9 mm, transverse bands 1, proximal, black.
