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Leaves 2–3-nate; lamina 2·3–11·5 x 1·8–5 cm., ovate-lanceolate or ovate, cordate at base (those of the flowering branches the smallest and most deeply cordate), subacute at the apex, conspicuously denticulate at the margin, discolorous, dark or brownish-green above and whitish or pale-green below (the old leaves often turning bright red), rather thick, rough on the upper face with subconic prominences each ending in a simple white rather long bristle, densely covered on the under side by long thin silvery hairs, longitudinally 5–7-nerved, the longitudinal nerves impressed above, raised and appressed-scaly-setose beneath (the scales with a thick laterally dentate-setose base ending in a long bristle); petiole 0·2–2·5 mm. long, scaly-setose.
Receptacle 8–10 x 6–7 mm., cylindric, densely setose (bristles simple or divided from the base) and with many ± patent linear appendages up to 2·5 mm. long, ending in a small stellate-setose disk (the bristles of the terminal disks ascending, numerous up to 2·5 mm. long, rather stout, whitish); intersepalar segments like the uppermost receptacle-appendages but longer.
Branches 2–3-nate, bluntly 6-gonous or terete, ± densely and patently setose (the bristles whitish to rusty, usually long, pectinate-branched from a bulbous base) towards the apex, the oldest scabrous.
Fructiferous receptacle up to 11 x 10 mm., broadly cylindric or subspherical. Capsule ovoid, ± equalling the receptacle, appressed-setose on the upper half.
Sepals c. 9 x 5 mm., oblong, obliquely truncate dorsally minutely appressed-setose and with a stellate-setose appendage at the apex, caducous.
Longer stamens: anthers 10–13 mm. long; pedoconnective c. 15 mm. long with the basal appendage c. 1 mm. long; filaments 7–8 mm. long.
Flowers 5-merous, subsessile in short compact t^nninal panicles; bracts up to 9x8 mm., subcircular, obtuse, caducous.
Long: pedoconnective c. 3 mm. long with the basal appendage 0·5 mm. long; filaments c. 10 mm. long.
A shrub up to 2–5 m. high or a perennial herb.
Petals c. 2·8 x 2 cm., purple or rose.
Shorter stamens: anthers 8–12 mm.