Perennial (? or biennial) with a tough taproot, ± 0.3–0.9 m. tall.. Stem simple with a few generally long, ascending branches, terete, narrowly striate and grooved, ± densely hirtellous.. Leaves mostly basal, the lowest usually simple and broadly reniform, the remaining basal leaves varying from 3–5-lobed, with the lobes broadly rounded through trifid, or trisect, with the segments further shallowly lobed, to sub-bipinnate, with 1–3 pairs of deeply lobed petiolulate pinnules with broad lobes, margins wavy (especially in the forms with less divided leaves such as occur in Tanzania) and furnished with sharply pointed, patent, broad-based teeth; lamina broadly deltoid, usually broader than long, 2.5–16 cm. long, ± 3–25 cm. wide, sinus wide or the basal lobes overlapping; sheath broad, striate, membranous-margined, ± 1.5–2.5 cm.; petiole ± 2–15 cm.; indumentum similar to that of the stem; upper leaves commonly much reduced, of broadly oblong or tapering sheaths, the lower with a small to rudimentary lamina, the upper with none, more rarely stem leaves tripartite to trisect or subpinnate up to the inflorescence.. Umbels flat, terminal on the stem and the alternate branches, or sometimes the uppermost on pedunculiform verticillate branches; true peduncles 1–11 cm.; rays (7–)10–30, hirtellous, 1–4.5 cm.; involucre conspicuous, of ± 10–15 linear, hirtellous and ciliate, pale-or reddish-margined, ± 1.5–3 cm. bracts which maybe entire or pectinate-fimbriate towards the apex; partial umbels ± 10–40-flowered, pedicels papillose, 3–12 mm.; involucel of ± 6–12 bracteoles similar to the bracts, 0.6–2 cm., entire or pectinate-fimbriate above or to the base.. Calyx-teeth obvious, subulate, 0.5–0.75 mm.. Petals creamy-or greenish-yellow, 0.75–1 mm., glabrous.. Fruit elliptic to narrowly ovate, 5–8 × 3–6 mm., strongly dorsally compressed, densely covered with firm vesicular papillae, primary ribs pale, prominent, rather narrow; stylopodia shortly conical, subequalled by the rather thick, divergent, commonly purplish styles.. Fig. 29.
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Umbels terminal and lateral on long peduncles. Terminal umbels with 20–30 rays up to 4 cm. long; bracts and bracteoles very well developed and often conspicuous. Bracts 10–15, 2–2·5 cm. long, linear to narrowly lanceolate, bracteoles similar, up to 1·25 cm. long; both are either entire or may be markedly fimbriate (see notes). Partial umbels with 9–30 flowers on pedicels 5–12 mm. long.
Basal leaves simple with 3–5 broadly rounded subpalmate lobes up to 15 × 20 cm., to 2-ternate with leaflets similar to the lobes of the simple leaves; apex broadly to slightly emarginate, base cordate; margins ± regularly denticulate; petioles up to 20 cm. long, with slightly sheathing bases.
Fruit 5–3 mm. long, ellipsoid to ovoid, slightly dorsiventrally compressed, covered with vesicular hairs especially on the ribs. Stylopodium conical; styles short and often shed from the maturing fruit. Ribs obtuse.
Robust to wiry biennial or perennial herbs up to 80 cm. high, with scattered short bristly hairs which often become dense on the peduncles and rays.
Vittae well developed, 1 in each interval, obvious externally and occupying most of the space between the ribs, and 2 in the commissural space.
Leaves mostly basal, those on the stem much reduced and present on the inflorescence only as sheathing bases with small appendages.
Calyx teeth well developed, narrowly triangular to subulate; petals white to pale cream.
Carpophore divided to the base, seed very slightly concave on the commissural face.
Rootstock woody; stem terete with regular rather coarse grooves.
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