Erect annual herb, up to 150 cm tall; stems slender to stout, branched, glabrous or upwards, especially in the inflorescence, with short to rather long hairs. Leaves arranged spirally, simple, without stipules; petiole up to 8.5(–12) cm long; lamina ovate or rhomboid-ovate, 1.5–12(–22) cm × 0.7–8(–14) cm, cuneate at the base, blunt or retuse at apex, mucronate, entire, glabrous or shortly pilose, sometimes the centre of the lamina blotched red. Inflorescence spikelike or paniculate, axillary and terminal, the terminal one up to 25 cm long, consisting of glomerules more or less isolated at base of inflorescence and agglomerated towards apex; bracts up to 2.5 mm long, awned. Flowers unisexual, subsessile, with (4–)5 tepals up to 2.5 mm long; male flowers usually near apex of inflorescences, with 5 stamens c. 2 mm long; female flowers with superior, 1-celled ovary crowned by 3 stigmas. Fruit an ovoid-urceolate capsule c. 1.5 mm long, with a short inflated beak below the stigmas, dehiscing circularly, the lid strongly rugulose below the beak, 1-seeded. Seed lenticular, compressed, c. 1 mm long, black.

PROTAbase: Amaranthus dubius

The leaves are recommended as a good food with medicinal properties for young children, lactating mothers and for patients with fever, haemorrhage, anaemia, constipation or kidney complaints. It is also applied to boils as a poultice. The whole plant is used as a medicine against stomachache.