Herb 0.25–0.8 (–1.8) m high. Branchlet with fine stellate hairs (0.4–1.1 mm long), with very sparse coarse bristles (0.5–0.7 mm long), and with fine bristles (0.4–0.5 mm long). Stipules ± persistent, 3–4 mm long. Mid-stem and distal leaves: 3-lobed (shallowly or deeply), lobing not extended to the apex of the petiole, the primary lobes themselves scarcely lobed, palmately veined. Mid-stem leaves: petiole 10–55 mm long with the indumentum dissimilar to branchlet (not markedly, petioles with more bristles); lamina ovate to broadly ovate or narrowly ovate, 25–138 mm long, 15–94 mm wide, margin strongly serrate, lobe apex rounded or acute, with fine stellate hairs and fine bristles; foliar nectary absent. Flowers solitary in leaf axils, chasmogamous, pedunculate; peduncle 5–9 mm long, with fine stellate hairs and fine bristles; pedicel 4–20 mm long, indumentum generally similar to that of the peduncle but the hairs denser; epicalyx 9–10-segmented, segments linear to subulate, free at the base, 7.5–12 mm long, shorter than the calyx; calyx at anthesis 10–20 mm long, distinctly accrescent in fruit, with stellate hairs, without prominent marginal ribs, lobes triangular, acute or acuminate at the apex, calyx nectary absent; petal 20–35 mm long, yellow, fading to white in older flowers, generally with basal petal spot present [pallid in southern populations and strongly reddish in northern populations]; staminal column 7.5–10 mm long with the stamens distributed along the distal 3.5–5.5 mm of the column, staminal filaments 2.3–3 mm long, anthers yellow, pollen yellow; style exserted 2–4 mm beyond the apex of the staminal column, branches 5, 0.6–1 mm long, stigmas capitate, 0.6–0.8 mm across, stigmatic hairs 0.05–0.2 mm long, ovary hairy. Fruit a capsule, 11–13 mm long, hairy. Seed 2.5–2.7 mm long, subreniform, glabrous, smooth.
Often found in open woodland or forest (of Eucalyptus and/or Acacia), in grassland (of Triodia, Dichanthium, Astrebla, Eriachne, etc.) or wasteland and disturbed areas (with weeds such as Xanthium); recorded substrates are grey, red, brown or black cracking clay, black basalt or brown loams; landscapes include floodplains, lake beds, drainage or irrigated areas, flat or low relief gilgai plains and margins of cultivated fields.
Home