| Unarmed or spiny, annual, rarely perennial, monoecious herbs. Leaves alternate, long-petiolate, simple and entire or sinuate. Flowers unisexual. Bracts and 2 bracteoles present. Perianth segments (2-)3-5, free or connate at base, membranous. Fruit a capsule, indehiscent, rupturing irregularly or with a circumscissile lid. Seeds usually black and shining. Worldwide: 60 species, in both tropical and temperate zones DRC: 8 taxa.Insects associated with this genus: 
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| Species | Botanical divisions | Content | 
| blitum L. subsp. blitum | ||
| blitum L. subsp. emarginatus (Salzm. ex Uline & Bray) Carretero, Muñoz Garm. & Pedrol | Description, Image | |
| cruentus L. | ||
| dubius Mart. ex Thell. | Description, Image | |
| graecizans L. subsp. graecizans | Description | |
| graecizans L. subsp. silvestris (Vill.) Brenan | Description, Image | |
| hybridus L. subsp. hybridus | ||
| spinosus L. | Description, Image |