Annual, erect, glaucous, herb, rarely branched, usually glabrous; basal leaves oblong, shallowly pinnatifid, rounded or cordate at base, acute at apex, coarsely dentate, shortly petioled, clasping at base, upper cauline leaves smaller, shallowly lobed or unlobed, sessile, cordate with amplexicaulous base; flowers solitary, terminal on long, prickly peduncle, 5-6 cm across, white, scarlet or pale purple; sepals 2-3, glabrous, deciduous; petals 6 in two series, obovoid, red or pink; stamens numerous, polyandrous, filaments as long as style, slightly dilated, anthers yellow, oblong; ovary globose, stigma discoid with 5-12 rays; capsule globose 2-3 cm across, dehiscing by pores below the disc of stigma; seeds globose, white or grey to black.