Perennial, basally woody, up to 2.5 m tall shrublet, covered with bristly, 4-6 mm long stout stinging hairs. Stem and shoots ridged. Leaves with 2-3 cm long petiole; lamina broadly ovate, pubescent, unlobed or palmatisect, 7-25 cm long, 6-15 cm broad lobes pinnatifid, acute, serrate. Flowers very small, c. 2 mm across: female panicle of spikes densely bristly and longer than male inflorescence. Calyx 4-lobed in male, 3-partite in female flowers. Stamens 4, antisepalous. Achene broadly ovate, c. 3 mm long, 2-2.5 mm broad, brownish-black.

Fl.Per.: July-August.

Type: Yemen, Forsskahl (C-Forssk).

Distribution: Yemen, Pakistan (Punjab, N.W.F.Province), India, Burma and Java.