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Leaves collected at the ends of the branches; lamina up to 15 cm. in diam., very broadly cordate-ovate to orbicular, more or less divided into 3–5 acuminate lobes, pubescent on both sides, c. 7-nerved at the base; petiole up to 12 cm. long, glandular-pubescent.
Flowers dull red or purplish, appearing with the leaves, in terminal panicles up to 12 cm. long; branches of inflorescence sticky with dark purplish, glandular-viscid hairs; bracteoles c. 5 mm. long, linear, glandular-pubescent.
Calyx up to 1·2 cm. long, campanulate, 5–6-lobed rather more than 1/2-way, densely pubescent and somewhat glandular outside, pubescent towards the tips of the lobes inside.
Female flower: ovary ovoid, densely pubescent, with a ring of vestigial stamens at the base, on a glabrous gynophore c. 5 mm. long; style 3–4 mm. long, reflexed, pubescent.
Follicles c. 5, 5–7 × 1–1·5 cm., subsessile, spreading, oblong-cylindric with a very short apiculus, brown-tomentellous outside.
Male flower: androphore c. 7 mm. long, slender, glabrous; anthers numerous, in a capitate cluster.
Seeds 10–20 per follicle, 1–1·5 × 0·7 cm., oblong-ellipsoid; testa black; aril white or orange.
Shrub or small tree up to c. 8 m. tall; bark dark grey and peeling.
