An erect or suberect sparingly to evenly setose urticating annual or subperennial herb commmonly up to 1.5 m., rarely up to 4.5 m. in height, with the stems sometimes twining at their apices.. Petiole (0.2–)0.5–2(–3.5) cm. long, sparingly setose; blade commonly deeply trilobate or tripartite, occasionally with some leaves elobate, rarely quinquelobate, the median lobe linear to linear-oblong, 3–11 cm. long, 0.3–2 cm. wide, the lateral lobes linear-lanceolate to elliptic-oblong, (0.5–)1–5 cm. long, 0.15–1 cm. wide, all lobes acute, subacute or obtuse and generally very coarsely serrate with large triangular teeth up to 5 mm. long, the blades commonly cuneate, rarely rounded-cuneate, firmly membranaceous, 3(–5)-nerved from the base, lateral nerves 8–14 pairs (in the median lobe), usually glabrous above, sparingly hispid or setose along the midrib and main nerves beneath, dark green above, paler beneath, the midrib and main nerves often reddish.. Stipules lanceolate, suberect at first, soon reflexed, 3–5 mm. long, acutely acuminate, subglabrous.. Inflorescences leaf-opposed, (4–)6–8(–11) cm. long, the sparingly to evenly setose peduncle 2–7 cm. long; ♂ and ♀ bracts lanceolate, 2–2.5 mm. long, acuminate, subglabrous, 1-flowered, persistent; bracteoles linear-subulate, 1 mm. long.. Male flowers: pedicels 1 mm. long, glabrous; calyx-lobes 3, ovate, 1 mm. long, ± glabrous, greenish white; stamens 0.5 mm. long, filaments slender, anthers minute; pistillode minute or 0.. Female flowers: pedicels 2–3 mm. long, pubescent and setose, stouter than in ♂; calyx-lobes 6, elliptic-ovate in outline, 2–3 mm. long, accrescent to 6–7 mm. long in fruit, the rhachis membranaceous at first, later becoming indurated, lanceolate, pinnately lobulate, with 3–5 linear lobules on each side, and terminating in a linear segment, sparingly pubescent without, glabrous within, but densely white-setose along the margins of the lobules with urticating bristles; ovary trilobate, 1 mm. diameter, densely setose; styles 3, 2 mm. long, united to halfway, incurved, ± glabrous, stigmatic surfaces ± smooth.. Fruits trilobate, 4–5 mm. long, 7–8 mm. diameter, smooth, sparingly to evenly adpressed-setose.. Seeds 2.5–3 mm. diameter, orange-to reddish-brown, mottled buff or greyish.
More
A herb. It can grow 1.5-4.5 m tall. The stems can be twining at the tips. The leaves have 3 lobes and are 3-11 cm long and 0.3-2 cm wide. They have coarse teeth. The flowering shoots are opposite the leaves and are 6-8 cm long. The fruit have 3 lobes. They are 4-5 mm long by 7-8 mm wide. The seeds are 2.5-3 mm across. They are orange to red.
Very like T. hildebrandtii, but differing chiefly in having all the leaves deeply 3-lobed or 3-partite, or occasionally at least some of the leaves with 1–2 lateral lobes.
Home
