Shrub or perennial herb up to 3 m. tall; stems tomentose or pubescent when young, later glabrescent. Leaf-lamina up to 12 × 12 cm., suborbicular in outline, obscurely or distinctly 3–5-lobed, stellate-pubescent or stellate-pilosulose above, stellate-pubescent or stellate-pilose or stellate-tomentose beneath, apex acute, margin serrate, base cordate or subcordate; petiole usually up to 9 (18) cm. long, stellate-pilose; stipules up to 15 mm. long, filiform or subsetaceous, somewhat expanded at the base. Flowers up to 12 cm. in diam., yellow usually with a brownish or dark red centre, solitary, axillary; peduncle c. 7 (10) mm. long, stellate-pubescent, usually rather inconspicuously articulated near the base. Epicalyx of 5 bracts, stellate-pubescent; bracts up to 18 mm. long, varying greatly in shape but nearly always broadest near the middle then narrowed suddenly to a caudate tip which is a prolongation of the midrib, joined for 3–4 mm. at the base. Calyx up to 16 mm. long, stellate-tomentellous; lobes ovate to ovate-lanceolate, usually 3-nerved, joined to nearly half-way. Petals up to 6 × 4·5 cm., obliquely obovate, pubescent outside, glabrous within. Staminal tube up to 15 mm. long; free parts of filaments 1·5–3 mm. long. Style-branches 4–5 mm. long. Capsule 25 × 15 mm., ellipsoid; valves aristate. Seeds 3 × 2·5 mm., subreniform, tomentellous.