Herbs perennial, to 2 m tall. Stems erect, much branched, slightly ribbed. Leaves shortly petiolate; leaf blade ovate to rhombic-ovate, usually 1-1.5 × 0.6-1 cm, furfuraceous, base subcuneate to broadly cuneate, decurrent, margin with 1-3 pairs of undulate teeth, or entire, apex rounded to subobtuse. Inflorescences axillary glomerules borne toward apex of branches, forming small panicles. Fruiting bracts connate at base, semiorbicular, ca. 7 mm wide, basal central part swollen and hardened, margins green, with finely undulate teeth.

One of us (Clemants) observes that the above description does not correspond with that of Atriplex nummularia given by Wilson (in George, Fl. Australia 4: 130. 1984). Among the characters that are different are: herbs (Taiwan) vs. shrubs (Australia); leaves 1–1.5 cm (Taiwan) vs. leaves 2–4 cm (Australia). The species is included in Fl. Taiwan, ed. 2, but no specimen was seen by us. The plants in Taiwan might be an aberrant form of A. maximowicziana.

Naturalized. Taiwan (including Penghu Dao) [native to Australia].