Family, Goosefoot. Color of leaves and outer branches, red. Leaves, rigid, needle-like, tipped with a prickle, clustered, long, somewhat fleshy. Calyx, 5-parted, each division with a broad, strongly-veined wing, which incloses the fruit. Stamens, 5, styles, 2. Flowers in axils of the leaves.

Plant branched, bushy, an importation from Europe or Asia, and a pernicious weed in New Jersey and northward.