Glabrous. Leaves opposite; lamina ovate to rarely obovate, 12-24 by 5-11 cm, cuneate at the base to a petiole 8-20 mm long, attenuate and finally acute to rounded at the apex, lustrous or dull green above, dull and brownish below; venation pinnate with the midrib and the main laterals distinct on both sides and the midrib prominent and often dark coloured below. Inflorescences at the nodes, a subsessile involucrate capitate spike of usually 6 decussate pairs of flowers; involucre 35-50 mm long, mostly red, sometimes yellow at the base, comprising c. 14 pairs of bracts, the longer ones keeled, smooth or slightly undulate below the apex; floral axis 5-10 mm long; lateral bracts enclosing the flowers c. 25 mm long, keeled, acute. Corolla in mature bud 6-merous, 60-70 mm long, gradually widened upwards, winged above the middle to the acute or obtuse apex, mostly red or yellow below, yellow-green above; tube in the open flower 45-50 mm long, split slightly deeper on one side, with the lobes reflexed and twisted c. 5 mm higher. Anther c. 5 mm long, spurred at the base, acute, about half as long as the free part of the filament. Fig. 32d, e.
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