Rhizomes horizontal, strong, vigorous, branching, producing roots all along their length. Leaves suborbicular with a radial sinus, to c. 30 cm diam., dark green above, paler and reddish below, margins obscurely sinuate. Flowers to c. 20 cm diam., floating, closing at night; sepals 4, lanceolate, green, white inside; petals 20–25, broad-ovate, white, cream, pink, orange or red, passing into petaloid stamens; stamens c. 50, yellow; ovary lobes 14–20, yellow. Berry sub-globose to obovoid, 1.8–4 cm diam.; seeds (not observed in Victorian specimens) many, c. 3 mm long or more. Flowers mostly summer.