Shrub 1–3 m high. Stems, petioles and pedicels thinly velvety with minute hairs. Leaves: lamina orbicular to ovate, occasionally lobed, (2–) 6–23 cm long, (2–) 4–15 cm wide, cordate at base, (entire or) dentate to crenate margin, acuminate at apex, stellate-hairy (also simple hairs present), densely so below, greyish; petiole slender, 1.5–15 cm long; stipules to 20 mm long, heart-shaped, foliaceous (leaf-like). Flowers often in loose, terminal (or axillary) panicles with leaves very reduced, often only represented by stipules; pedicel with many long, simple hairs above joint. Calyx campanulate, to 10.5 mm long, green, with hairs; segments 5, ovate, acute, fused in basal half. Petals 5, obovate, 10–16 mm long, subacute, yellow or orange. Staminal column 8–10 mm long; anthers clustered at apex. Schizocarp exceeding calyx, silvery hairy; mericarps 8–12, 9–17 mm long, with a single, acute apex and some large, stellate hairs. Seeds usually 3.
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Leaves on long hispid petioles; with conspicuous ear-like stipules
Seeds with scattered groups of short stellate hairs
Covered with down and spreading hairs
Monsoon forest, vine thickets, gallery forest, littoral rainforest, beach forest. On Christmas Island, grows on the terraces below Phosphate Hill, usually on open, wooded slopes, and in clearings in closed forest on Toms Ridge.
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