Erect to rounded annual to c. 60 cm high (commonly breaking off near ground level at maturity and dispersing tumbleweed-fashion), glabrous, sparsely bristly or tuberculate on leaf margins and/or stems. Leaves mostly alternate, linear, subulate or triangular, 5–40 mm long, 0.5–6 mm wide, winged and shortly decurrent at base, spreading or recurved, spine-tipped, semi-terete to trigonous in section; floral leaves and bracteoles shorter and sometimes thicker than normal leaves. Flowers sessile, solitary in upper axils; perianth segments at anthesis erect, lanceolate, c. 2 mm long, membranous. Wings of fruiting perianth segments fan-shaped to semicircular, 3–5 mm wide, translucent with dark brown venation, rarely rosy pink all over, or if wings not developed then segments usually strongly thickened with a narrow transverse ridge toward base. Utricle hemispherical, truncate or depressed at summit, c. 2.5 mm diam., membranous in lower half, slightly thickened at apex. Flowers mainly May.–Oct.