Perennial with a fusiform tuberous taproot, 1 m x 250 mm. Stems annual, several, herbaÂceous, trailing, up to 2 m long or more, younger parts densely pubescent. Leaves secund, ovate-lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, up to 300 x 120 mm, base rounded or subcordate, apex sub-obtuse or acuminate, margin crisped, densely yellow-ciliate, both surfaces densely silky silÂvery white-hairy, main and lateral nerves prominent below; petiole stout, 5-50 mm long, densely hairy. Peduncles densely hairy, up to ± 100 mm long. Flowers several in dense head; outer bracts ovate or ovate-subspathulate, acuminate-cuspidate, 25-30 mm long, densely silky hairy; inner bracts smaller. Sepals unequal, 30-35 mm long, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, densely silky hairy. Corolla funnel-shaped, 30-50 mm long, bright rose-magenta; midpetaline areas white and densely silky outÂside. Capsule globose, enclosed in calyx, ± 10 mm in diameter. Seeds 4, dull black, glabrous. Flowering time October to February.
