Perennial herb up to c. 1(–1.5) m tall, all parts with prickles, younger parts with stiff or soft hairs. Leaves alternate, of comparable size in all parts of plants; petiole 1–2 cm long, poorly distinguished from the decurrent blade; blade 18–25 x 14–18 cm, obovate, deeply lobed with irregularly serrate lobes, with acute apex, armed with strong straight prickles on main nerves, with long straight soft hairs on both sides and stellate hairs below. Inflorescences lateral, partly umbel-like cymes, with one bisexual basal flower near stem and 3–5(–8) functionally male flowers inserted at nearly same level on up to c. 4 cm long rachis; pedicels 0.4–1.5 cm long, armed with prickles. Calyx 1.2–1.6 cm long, at first with numerous stiff hairs, later with strong prickles; lobes long-acuminate, elongating in fruit to c. 2.7 cm. Corolla pale purple, rotate-stellate, 3–4 cm in diam. Anthers c. 8 mm long. Style in basal flower exceeding anthers with c. 5 mm. Fruit yellowish-green, yellow or white, 3.5–5(–5.5) cm in diam.