Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Atlantic Coast primarily in the northern half of North America.

Habitat: Open areas at low to middle elevations.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Branched, glabrous annual, up to 8 dm. tall, without glands.

Leaves alternate, rather fleshy, greenish on both surfaces, the blade triangular, hastate, entire to wavy-dentate or shallowly lobed, up to 10 cm. long, reduced in the inflorescence, narrowed abruptly to a short petiole, except much longer on the basal leaves.

Flowers in axillary glomerules, the subtending leaves greatly reduced upward, becoming bractlike, then none; perianth lobes 3-5, fused less than half their length, broadly ovate to obovate, becoming deep reddish and very fleshy, shorter than the fruit; stamens as many as the perianth lobes and opposite them; styles 2, 0.4-0.6 mm. long.

Fruit strongly laterally flattened, reddish-brown.