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Succulent shrubby tree, 0·5–3·5 m. high with a large carrot-like root, up to 1 m. in diameter with poisonous white latex; bark shiny, grey. Leaves usually appearing after the flowers, subsessile; lamina obovate to oblong, 1·5–3(5·5) times as long as wide, (3·5)7·6–12·5 x (1·4)2–7·6 cm., acute or rounded to emarginate and apiculate to mucronate at the apex, glabrous on both sides; secondary veins conspicuous, (5)6–11(13); petiole 3–7 mm. long. Inflorescence 0·75–2 x 0·5–1·5 cm., bracts narrowly obovate, 4–6 x 1–3 mm., acuminate. Pedicels densely pubescent to tomentose, 2–4 mm. long. Sepals narrowly ovate, 6–10 x 2·5–3 mm., pubescent outside, appressed-pubescent inside, especially towards the apex. Corolla red to white; tube pink to white, red-striped within the throat (2)2·5–4 times as long as the calyx, 2·2–3·9 x 1–1·3 cm. pubescent outside, sometimes towards the extreme base somewhat less pubescent inside with a pubescence of obscure glandular hairs, usually on the main veins with strigose glandular hairs; narrow basal portion 0-·9–1·1(1·4)timesaslongasthecalyx, 7–10 x 3–7 mm.; lobes pink to white with deep pink to scarlet margins, 1–3–2·9 x 1–1·9 cm., narrowly ovate to narrowly obovate, mucronate to apiculate, crispate, outside sparsely and minutely pubescent, glabrous inside, with a velutinous scale, 2 x 2–2·5 mm., at the base. Stamens distinctly exserted; free portion of filament densely pubescent outside, lanate inside; anther 5·5–7 x 0·5–1 mm.; thecae 2–3 x 0·5 mm.; appendages pink to white, 2–4·9 times as long as the anther, hispid especially on the outside. Pistil 10·5–12·5(15) mm. long; ovary glabrous; carpels 1–2 x 0·5–1 x 0·5–1·5 mm.; style 8–11 x 0·5 mm.; clavuncula 1–1·5 x 0·5–1 mm. Fruit pale grey to pale grey-brown, (7–)10–18 x 0·8–1·5 cm. Seed very pale brown, glabrous or very minutely appressed pubescent, 1–1·5 x 0·2–0·3 cm.; comas dirty white to light brown, 2–3 cm. long.