Annual or perennial herb or subshrub up to 2(-2.5) m tall, stem glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Leaves alternate,  simle, stipules narrowly lanceolate to linear, up to 1.5 cm long; petiole 3-11 cm long; blade shallowly to deeply palmatedly 3-5 lobed but upper leaves sometimes undivided, up to 10cm x10 cm , margin crenate, glabrous  or sparsely pubescent palmatedly veined, with a distinct nectar at base of midrib. Flower solitary in leaf axils, bisexual, regular, 5-merous, calyx campanulate, petals free, obvate with red purple base or wine red. Ovary superior, 5-clled. Fruit ovoid capsule up to 2.5 cm long.

Used when child’s body aches. The leaves are mashed , cold water is added and the child is washed in the water. In Angola an infusion of the leaves in water  is used as a post fever tonic, it is  also used  as medicine to treat anemia. In Uganda the leaves decoction is  used as a blood purfying tonic.

Used as a cooked vegetable, sometimes with pounded  peanuts added to improve the flavor.