Herbs woody at base, or subshrubs to 1(-1.5) m tall. Branchlets yellow-brown stellate tomentose, simple hairs also present. Petiole 1-5 cm; leaf blade ovate or narrowly ovate, 3-14 × 1.3-4.5 cm, thickly papery, abaxially densely yellow-brown stellate tomentose, adaxially sparsely stellate, basal veins 3, lateral 2 ascending beyond 1/2 blade, base rounded or subcordate, margin irregularly serrate, apex acuminate or acute. Cymes 1 to several per node; peduncle 5-8 mm. Flower buds pilose. Pedicel 3-5 mm. Bracts lanceolate, ca. 1 mm. Sepals narrowly lanceolate, 6-10(-12) × 1-1.5 mm, hairy, apex cucullate, apical appendage 0.5-1 mm. Petals as long as sepals. Stamens 10(-30). Ovary hairy. Capsule globose, body 3-5 mm in diam., spiny, overall 1.1-1.3 × 1.2-1.4 cm, 4-loculed, dehiscent; spines 6-8 mm, hairy, tip hooked. Fl. summer-autumn.

Dry scrub. Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan [Bhutan, ?Cambodia, India, ?Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, ?Vietnam; tropical Africa, Australia].