Shrub 1.5-5 m tall, sometimes several stems from a lignotuber. Leaves 12-30 cm long, entire or 2-6-partite with ascending lobes to 17 cm long; simple leaves and lobes linear, (1-) 1.5-4 mm wide, not pungent; margins recurved to revolute; lower surface subvillous, usually with a narrow strip of lamina exposed on either side of midvein. Conflorescence erect, usually terminal, simple to few-branched; unit conflorescence basipetal, loosely cylindrical (sometimes shortly so); ultimate rachis (5-) 25-85 (-125) mm long. Flowers basiscopic. Flower colour: perianth red to orange-red or bright pink, occasionally orange-pink or creamy pink; style red. Perianth with simple, erect, glandular hairs outside, usually mixed with pale appressed to ascending biramous hairs, sometimes the latter only, subvillous inside above ovary. Pistil (28-) 40-52 mm long; ovary villous; style glabrous except for appressed hairs in basal 1-5 mm. Follicle obloid-ellipsoidal with a short apiculum, 10-14 mm long, rugulose; indumentum open to sparse, persistent.
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