Erect annual or short-lived perennial herb to 1.5 m high, green, with glandular and stellate hairs; prickles to 15 mm long, abundant on most parts of plant. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, sometimes pinnate, 5–14 cm long, 4–10 cm wide, margins lobed, concolorous, densely pubescent; petiole 1.5–4 cm long. Inflorescence simple, up to 12-flowered; peduncle to 45 mm long. Flowers on pedicels 10–15 mm long; calyx 6–12 mm long, lobes lanceolate, 4–7 mm long, accrescent; corolla stellate, 35–50 mm diam., white or pale blue, lobes ovate; anthers 8–10 mm long. Berry globose, 15–20 mm diam., bright red; seeds c. 2.5 mm long, pale buff. Recorded flowering and fruiting in Victoria in May.
VVP. Also naturalised WA, Qld, NSW. Widely cultivated as an ornamental. Sparingly established in a paddock near Mortlake and all sprayed.
