Stems erect to more often spreading, usually branched from base, 1-1.4(-6) dm, densely farinose. Leaves nonaromatic; petiole 0.3-0.4 cm; blade linear, narrowly lanceolate, oblong elliptic, or ovate-lanceolate, 3- (occasionally 1-)veined, 1.5-2.5 × 0.4-0.6 cm, 3-many times as long as wide, thick and somewhat fleshy, base cuneate, margins entire, unlobed, apex acuminate, densely white-farinose abaxially, more sparsely farinose adaxially. Inflorescences glomerules in terminal and axillary panicles; glomerules ± densely packed, flowers maturing irregularly; bracts leaflike or absent. Flowers: perianth segments 5, distinct nearly to base; lobes obovate, 0.8-1 mm, apex obtuse, carinate, densely farinose, enclosing fruit at maturity; stamens 5; stigmas 2, 0.1 mm. Utricles ovoid; pericarp nonadherent, smooth. Seeds ovoid, 8-1.1 mm diam., margins rounded; seed coat black, warty. 2n = 18. Fruiting mid summer-fall. Originally found in open undisturbed soils, prairies, and sandy stabilized dunes, but it has spread to disturbed open areas within its native range and beyond; 500-2000 m; Alta., Sask.; Calif., Colo., Idaho, Kans., Mo., Nebr., Nev., Okla., S.Dak., Tex., Utah, Wyo.

Plant: Annual 12-35 cm; stems generally several from base Leaves: blade 5-25 mm, oblong to elliptic, ± fleshy, margin entire, lower surface densely powdery, ± glabrous above INFLORESCENCE: sepals enclosing fruit, keeled, powdery; stamens generally 5; ovary lenticular to spheric, stigmas 2-5 Flowers: spheric clusters, spikes, or panicle-like, generally dense; bracts generally 0; flowers generally sessile Fruit: ± 1 mm diam; wall free from seed; Seed horizontal, red-brown to black; wall very thin Misc: Open places, scrub, coniferous forest; < 2900 m.; Jul-Sep References: W. B. McDougal. Seed Plants of Northern Arizona.J.C. Hickman, ed. The Jepson Manual. ASU specimens.