Erect, herb or undershrub; stems with few, scattered bulbous based prickles; leaves glabrous or with stout hairs on veins beneath; palmately 3-5 lobed, lobes of lower ones broadly lanceolate, serrate or entire; petioles armed, as long as the blade; stipules linear, bristly; flowers solitary, axillary, shortly peduncled, large, showy; epicalyx not glandular, segments 8-10, linear, usually forked with or without linear, bristly appendages; sepals 5, connate below, veins prominent, not glandular, beset with bristles outside; corolla pink, red or yellow with dark purple centre; stamens numerous, staminal column as long as the petaavls, antheriferous only in the upper half, anthers monothecous; ovary 5-locular, each with 2 or more ovules; styles -5, connate below; stigma capitate; capsules ovoid-globose,1-2 cm across, beaked,5-valved, dehiscent, densely bristly; seeds trigonous, brown.