Spreading annual or biennial shrub to 1 m, bright yellow-green, densely pubescent with stellate hairs; prickles to 1 cm long, abundant on stems, pedicels and calyx, sparse or absent elsewhere. Leaves ovate; lamina 5–10 cm long, 3–6 cm wide, concolorous, entire or almost so; petiole 2–3 cm long. Juvenile leaves with lamina up to 22 cm long, 14 cm wide, shallowly lobed, the petiole to 5 cm long. Inflorescence of one bisexual flower below racemose cyme of up to 20 male flowers; peduncle absent or to 1 cm long; rachis to 10 cm long. Bisexual flower: pedicels 25–40 mm long; calyx 15–20 mm long, the lobes narrowly triangular, 10–13 mm long, enlarged in fruit; corolla broadly stellate, 30–45 mm diam., purple; anthers 5–7 mm long. Male flowers: pedicels 1–2 cm long; calyx 10–15 mm long, the lobes lanceolate, 8–12 mm long; corolla broadly stellate, 25–35 mm diam., purple; anthers 6–8 mm long. Berry globular or ellipsoid, 20–30 mm diam., ivory or pale yellow, drying black; fruiting calyx lobes 25–50 mm long. Seeds 2.5–3 mm long, black.
Home