Annual, dwarf herb; roots fibrous, often rooting at lower nodes; stem simple or branched, erect or spreading; leaves small, sessile, flat, ovate or oblong, subacute or acute at apex, obtuse or cordate, amplexicaul at base, usually wavy on margins, glabrous; sheath ciliate at mouth and on margins; panicles small, leafy below, flowers few, bluish-purple or pale white, in terminal, cymes; sepals 3, free, membranous; petals 3, free, equal, obovate; stamens 3-fertile, alternating with 3 staminodes, filaments of both naked or bearded, anthers oblong, usually 1-lobe smaller than other; ovary sessile, 3-locular, 3-7 ovules in each; capsules subglobose or ovoid-oblong, sharply trigonous; seeds subconical-cylindric, straw colored, smooth or minutely scabarulous.