Perennial with a thin, woody taproot. Stems annual, several to many, suberect, twining or prostrate, several metres long, slender, pilose. Leaves palmately 3- or 5-lobed nearly to base, 20-140 mm wide, basal sinus rounded or obtuse, thinly pilose above, densely white cobÂwebby tomentose below, except on the conÂspicuous main nerves which have yellowish or brownish hairs; lobes linear-lanceolate to obo-vate or broader, lateral lobes in 3-lobed leaves with an extra rounded lobe or auricle; margins subentire, ciliate; petiole 20-80 mm long, pilose. Inflorescence a dense, 1- to few-flowÂered head; peduncle pilose, up to 100 mm long; bracts hairy, linear to lanceolate, up to 15 mm long; pedicels very short. Sepals subequal, hairy outside, 6-15 mm long, lanceolate. Corolla funnel-shaped, magenta-purple, mauve or cream-coloured with darker magenta centre, rarely completely white, 12-32 mm long, limb spreading 20-40 mm wide; midpetaline areas pilose. Capsule subglobose, glabrous, 6-8 mm in diameter. Seeds pubescent, 4-5 mm long, hairs often arranged in small tufts, sometimes with long white hairs on angles in upper half. Flowering time September to July, mostly January to March.
