A medium sized tree with stellate tomentum, glabrescent. Leaves 3-20 (-30) cm long, 2-20 (-30) cm broad, orbicular to ovate, cordate at base, usually entire or undulate to crenate, acute to acuminate, almost glabrous above, hairy below, lower surface at base with linear glands on 1-5 nerves, coriaceous; stipules foliaceous, clasping the stem, 1-3 cm long, 0.5-1 cm broad, ovate, caducous. Flowers solitary, clustered at the end of branches; pedicel c. 1 cm long, in fruit up to 2 cm, stellate pubescent. Epicalyx cupular, 5-10 mm long, 7-12 toothed; teeth deltoid or triangular, 2-3 mm long and broad. Calyx 1/3 to 1/2 fused, 1.5-3 cm long; lobes lanceolate, c. 1 cm broad, each with linear gland on the central nerve. Corolla 5-8 cm across, yellow with or without crimson centre; petals obovate, 4.5-7 cm long, 4-5 cm broad, claw slightly hairy on margin. Staminal column c. 3 cm long. Ovary oblong, pubescent, 5 mm long. Capsule 2-3 cm long, c. 2 cm broad, beaked, densely stellate hairy, 10 celled. Seeds many, dark brown 4-5 mm long, reniform, stellulate hairy.

Type: Herb. Hermann vol. 3: fol. 51. Linn n. 258 (BM!).

Distribution. Tropics and subtropics of both the hemispheres. It is occa¬sionally cultivated in Pakistan.

Economically it is quite an important plant. The fibre obtained from the bark is of fair quality. The roots, bark, leaves and flowers are said to be variously used in medicine.