Erect or somewhat scandent ± fleshy. Subshrubby very sticky herb 0.5–1.5 m. tall from a fleshy bifurcate rootstock ± 15 cm. wide; stems ± stout, ridged, with mixed indumentum of short whitish hairs, slightly longer darker red, purplish or black gland-tipped hairs and often a few glandular whitish hairs up to 5 mm. long; tendrils absent.. Leaves somewhat fleshy, digitately 3–7(–9)-foliolate; leaflets sessile, elliptic, obovate or oblong-lanceolate, 3–20(–25 fide Thomas) cm. long, 1.3–9 cm. wide, acute to acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, serrate to crenate, pubescent with short white hairs and red or blackish gland-tipped hairs, densest beneath particularly on the nerves; petiole 3.5–18 cm. long with indumentum similar to stems; stipules triangular, 0.8–2.5 cm. long, 0.4–1.8 cm. wide, pubescent and with gland-tipped hairs.. Cymes terminal, trichotomous, 3.5–12 cm. wide; peduncle 2.5–7 cm. long; pedicels 3–4(–11 in pole flowers) mm. long; all axes densely pubescent with a mixture of short pale hairs and short red or dark gland-tipped hairs; bracts and bracteoles lanceolate, 2–4 mm. long, also with mixed hairs.. Buds maroon, oblong-cylindric, 2–2.7 mm. long, constricted just above the middle, pubescent with short eglandular and gland-tipped hairs especially at the apex.. Calyx 2 mm. wide, entire, puberulous and sometimes glandular.. Petals with upper 2/3 dark maroon and lower 1/3 white to yellowish.. Ovary minutely puberulous; style ± 1.8 mm. long, minutely 2-fid at apex.. Fruit green with red hairs, becoming crimson or ± black, ellipsoid, 6–8 mm. long, 4.5–5 mm. wide, with both glandular and eglandular short hairs.. Seeds broadly ellipsoid, 5–7 mm. long and ± 4 mm. wide, with dorsal ridges evident, 4 being wide, 2 and 3 thinner; mid-ventral ridge thick; all joined by 7 short transverse ridges on either side of 4, and 5 longer transverse ridges between 2 and 1 and 3 and 1.. Figs. 16/3, p.71; 18.
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