Erect herb 0.5–1.8 m. tall from a woody rootstock; stems red when young, sparsely to ± densely shortly pubescent; tendrils absent.. Leaves 3–5(–7)-foliolate; leaflets sessile, elliptic, 6.5–15 cm. long, 2–6.5 cm. wide, acute at the apex, cuneate at the base, regularly sharply serrate, discolorous, shortly pubescent or glabrescent above, velvety tomentose beneath but venation clearly visible being partly glabrous but with dense white hairs in the areoles; sharply recurved margins forming glabrous edge beneath; petiole grooved, 1.5–2.5 cm. long, densely shortly pubescent and with very shortly stalked glands; stipules ovate to triangular, 0.8–1.8 cm. long, up to 1 cm. wide, shortly pubescent.. Inflorescences terminal, 4.5–18 cm. wide; peduncle 3–25 cm. long with short probably purple hairs and sometimes very shortly stalked glands; pedicels 1–4 mm. long, shortly pubescent and with very short gland-tipped hairs; bracts oblong-lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm. long.. Buds flask-shaped, 2–3 mm. long, constricted below the apex, puberulous but not glandular.. Calyx dark red.. Petals yellow-green with dark red tips.. Fruits ellipsoid, 8–10 mm. long, 6–7 mm. wide, glabrous or shortly pubescent.. Seed not examined of Uganda material but clearly with ventral median ridge very strong extending 2/3 the length of the fruit and less obvious transverse ribs near base but described by Vollesen as obovoid, 6–7 mm. long, 4–5 mm. wide and thick with rather weakly ridged but rugose lateral faces and inconspicuous dorsal crests.
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