HABIT	BUSHY, PRICKLY HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL.
STEMS	UP TO 2 M TALL, MORE COMMONLY 1 M TALL; STEMS ARMED WITH BROAD-BASED, STRAIGHT OR DOWNWARD-POINTING PRICKLES AND CLOTHED IN A MIXTURE OF STELLATE AND SIMPLE GLANDULAR OR NON-GLANDULAR HAIRS
LEAVES	ALTERNATE, SIMPLE, CLEARLY PETIOLED, PRICKLY; BLADES OVAL-TRIANGULAR, NEARLY AS BROAD AS LONG, TO 20 CM LONG AND 15 CM WIDE, ANGULAR-LOBED; SURFACES DENSE WITH FINE SOFT HAIRS GIVING BLADES A VELVETY SHEEN; VEINS PRICKLY.
FLOWERS	WHITE, IN SMALL TERMINAL CLUSTERS.
FRUITS	A GLOBOSE BERRY, 2- 3 CM WIDE, GREEN WITH DARK VEINING, LIKE A TINY WATERMELON, WHEN IMMATURE, DULL MEDIUM YELLOW WHEN RIPE.
SEEDS	FLATTENED, REDDISH BROWN.