The species of genus Blitum occur in Asia, Europe, North Africa, the Americas, and Australia.

The leaf blade is thin oder slightly fleshy, and may be triangular, triangular-hastate, triangular-lanceolate, or spathulate, with entire to dentate margins.

The inflorescences consist of spicately arranged compact glomerules of flowers, ebracteate or in the axils of small leaf-like bracts.

They contain (1) 3-5 herbaceous, unkeeled perianth segments, connate only at base or nearly to the middle, sometimes missing; a circle of 1-5 stamens; and an ovary with 2-4 stigmas.

The seed coat is dark brown to black, its surface can be dull, almost smooth, slightly striate, rugulose, or reticulate.