Bushy shrub to c. 1 m high with long simple hairs over shorter stellate and glandular hairs. Leaves sessile, elliptic to oblong, rarely lanceolate or oblanceolate, mostly 2–5 cm long, 5–20 mm wide, mid to dark green above, paler below; apex acute; 3-nerved at least in the lower part. Inflorescence a terminal cyme of up to 10 flowers; peduncles 5–25 mm long; flowers c. 4 cm diam.; sepals 5, broadly ovate, the outer sepals broader and cordate with recurved margins, persistent; petals obovate, 15–20 mm long, white, yellow at base; style c. 0.5 mm long. Capsule 6–7 mm long, becoming densely hairy towards apex; seeds (1–)1.5 mm long, reddish-brown, granular. Flowers Sep.–Jan.
VVP, GipP, DunT. Also naturalised SA, Tas. Native to Portugal, Spain and France, commonly cultivated and sometimes used in old roadside plantings, with scattered populations occurring near Dunkeld, Smythesdale and on the Mornington Peninsula.
