A branched herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Stem succulent, tomentose-glandular. Leaves opposite, subcordate, 7-15 cm long, 7-20 cm broad, distantly dentate with the veins ending in denticles at the margin, glandular; petiole slightly shorter than or as long as the lamina, glandular. Flowers showy, lilac, mottled red, blue or yellow inside; pedicel c. 1.5 cm long, up to 3 cm in fruit, glandular villous; bracteoles 1-3, oblong, unequal, c. 1 cm long, petaloid or lilac, glandular. Sepals 5, free, oblong lanceolate, unequal, 1-1.5 cm long, glandular. Corolla tube c. 2.7 cm long, gibbous, glandular outside, 5-lobed, the posterior lobe the largest; lobes tinged purple, obtuse. Fertile stamens 2; filaments c. 1.3 cm long, glandu¬lar at the base; anthers bilobed; lobes divergent, oblong, c. 7 mm long, adnate when young to the other anther pair, dehiscing longitudinally; staminodes 2, c. 4 mm long, slightly curved. Ovary globose, 2 mm broad, glabrous, situated on the top of the subglobose disc; placentae intruded to form false septa; style c. 2 cm long, slender, persistent; stigmas 2, sensitive, flat. Capsule c. 3 cm long, more or less ovoid, 2 valved, with the style splitting into 2 curved, lignified and spiny processes.

Fl. Per. August-November.

Type: `Habitat in Americes Vera Cruce’.

Distribution: Tropical and sub-tropical America, Mexico, India, Burma and W. Pakistan.

Not a common plant here. Found in the Gangetic plains and the sub-Himalayan tract up to 1000 m alt. s.m. The fruit is used for medicinal purposes and locally in the soles of shoes (chapals).