Erect annual to c. 1 m high. Stems grooved, sparsely pubescent, at least on younger parts. Leaves long-petiolate, elliptic to ovate, lamina 3–20 cm long, 2–10 cm wide; margins entire; apex acute, sometimes shortly mucronate. Spike dense, usually branching, terminal or in upper axils, 7–15 cm long, 6–10 mm diam., usually deep red. Flowers unisexual; bracts and bracteoles lanceolate, 2–3 mm long, spinescent; tepals 5, oblong to lanceolate, 1.5–3 mm long, acute; stamens 5. Utricle circumsciss, distinctly longer than the perianth; seed discoid, 1–1.5 mm diam., dark brown, shiny. Flowers Jan.–May.
VRiv, GipP, HSF, HNF. Also naturalised WA, SA, NSW. Native to America. Sometimes cultivated, occasionally recorded in paddocks in north-eastern Victoria.
This species may have arisen through selection of cultivated forms of Amaranthus hybridus or other closely related species.
