Plants annual or perennial herbs or less commonly subshrubs or shrubs, usually monoecious, erect or variously prostrate to ascending. Leaves with or without Kranz type leaf anatomy. Pistillate flowers dimorphic (or with both dimorphic and some ebracteolate and with perianth enveloping a horizontal seed in sect. Atriplex or more typically homomorphic and borne between enclosing bracteoles. Bracteoles variously shaped, margin entire or toothed, faces smooth or variously tuberculate. Seeds horizontal or more typically erect; radicle mainly inferior, less commonly lateral and spreading.

This subgenus is represented widely in both the Old and New World species of the genus. In North America there are both indigenous and introduced members. However, even the species indigenous to the New World have affinities with those from either Europe or Australia. The members are mainly cool-temperate species, with some of the introduced species occasionally extending into the warm-temperate regions.