A large species with creeping stolons and tufts of large leaves produced at intervals, from which arise erect flowering stems.. Stipules pale brown to reddish-brown, membranous or more rarely foliaceous at the tip, glabrous varying to ± densely hairy, sometimes marginally ciliate only, 1–4.5 cm. long, adnate throughout to the petiole.. Leaves large, handsome, round to reniform in outline, (7–)9–11-lobed, 3–7 cm. long, 5.5–12 cm. broad, the basal sinus varying from very wide (the leaf-base sometimes nearly truncate) to closed, hairy on both faces but more thickly so and sometimes silvery beneath; lobes reaching to about the centre of the lamina (more rarely to 2/3 the radius) but often shallower and ± 1/4 the radius, oblong to obovate, often rounded above, dentate to the base, terminally sometimes truncate, the teeth jagged; petioles up to 17 cm. long (? more), hairy as the stem.. Flowering stems exceeding the leaves, leafless or with 1–2(–3) foliaceous bracts, covered, sometimes shaggily, with soft, ± spreading or deflexed, white or yellowish hairs; inflorescence paniculate, usually much-branched, often silvery, with the individual flower-clusters sometimes long, slender and spiciform, usually densely lanate; pedicels very short, less than 1 mm. long.. Flowers green (but the sepals tending to redden), 1–2 together in each bract.. Calyx-lobes ovate-triangular, 1.5 mm. long; epicalyx-lobes ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, equalling or shorter but always narrower than the sepals; calyx and epicalyx with long, ± appressed hairs outside.. Achenes 2–4.
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