Sw., Prodr. Veg. Ind. Occ. 97.1788 Shrub, herbaceous when young, mostly erect, to 2 m high; stems hollow; stems and petioles villous. Leaves simple; stipules lanceolate-linear, to 4 mm long, caducous; petioles slender, 1.5-5 cm long; blades ovate, acuminate, rounded to cordate at base, 3.5-8.5 (10) cm long, 2.5-6.5 (7) cm wide, softly velutinous especially below, crenate-serrate; palmate veins at base 5-7. Cymes small, dense, axillary; peduncles, pedicels, bracts, and calyces stellate-puberulent; peduncles short, ca 3 mm long; pedicels slender, 2-4 mm long; bracts linear, ca 2 mm long; calyx campanulate, ca 4 mm long, enlarging to ca 8 mm, 5-lobed to near middle, glabrous inside; petals 5, clawed, ca 4.5 cm long, white; stamens 5, opposite petals; staminal tube and style heteromorphous; styles 5, free, 1.7-2.8 mm long; staminodium 1.6-2.5 mm long. Fruits capsules, mostly hidden by enlarged calyx, ca 2 mm long and to 3 mm diam, pale, opening by 5 slits to expose seed; seed 1, ca 1 mm diam. Croat 7471. Uncommon along the shore on exposed banks, occasional in Rear # 8 Lighthouse Clearing. Flowers mainly from December to April. The fruits mature mostly from January to April.