Changes

In the dry season in central Kenya the leaves contain per 100 g dry matter: 15.2 g crude protein, 47.6 g neutral detergent fibre, 9.3 g ash and 7.8 g soluble tannins, with an in-vitro dry matter digestibility of 59%, and an in-vitro crude protein digestibility of 82%. In the rainy season the leaves contain per 100 g dry matter: 26.3 g crude protein, 35.9 g neutral detergent fibre, 11.0 g ash and 8.2 g soluble tannins, with an in-vitro dry matter digestibility of 70%, and an in-vitro crude protein digestibility of 93%. Leaves in Uganda have a crude protein content of 24.7–26.0 g per 100 g dry matter.

Shrub up to 3 m tall; stem erect, 3.5–7 mm in diameter, with a brown, downy cover of mainly stellate hairs. Leaves alternate, simple; stipules narrowly triangular, c. 7 mm long, dark brown, densely hairy; petiole terete, up to 7 cm long, hairy as stem; blade oblong to ovate, 4–14 cm × 1.5–9.5 cm, in lowest leaves slightly 3-lobed with a central lobe c. 3 cm long and lateral lobes c. 0.5 cm long, base cordate to obtuse, apex acute to almost acuminate, margin toothed, lower surface densely covered with a soft tomentose down of white stellate hairs, upper surface with sparse hairs with fewer and shorter arms. Inflorescence terminal, sparsely branched, 10–22 cm long, lower nodes with slightly reduced leaves, nodes 0.5–3 cm apart, each with 6–10 cymes, cymes 1–3-flowered; peduncle up to 5 mm long, hairy as stem; bracts narrowly ovate, 1.5–4 mm × c. 0.5 mm, hairy. Flowers bisexual, regular; pedicel up to 5(–12) mm long; sepals 5, free, narrowly lanceolate to oblong, slightly fiddle-shaped, 4.5–9(–10) mm long, with apical spines, densely grey stellate-hairy; petals 5, rounded-oblong, 4–7(–8.5) mm × 0.5–1.5(–3) mm, yellow, with basal claw, base of the claw fringed with hairs, pubescent; stamens 8–12; ovary superior, 4-locular. Fruit a dehiscent, almost globose capsule (6.5–)8–20 mm in diameter (including bristles), with 96–140 patent dark brown bristles 2–7 mm long, each covered in soft, white and simple hairs, apex of bristles straight to curved, but not hooked, with a single, often inclined, terminal hair. Seeds c. 2.5 mm long, glossy.