Lavatera olbia L.

Woody shrub up to 2 m high, branched from base;  stems densely clothed in stellate hairs when young, becoming ± glabrous when older.  Lvs densely hairy with stellate and simple hairs;  lower lvs 3–5-palmately lobed, broadly ovate, crenate, up to  c. 10 cm diam.;  upper lvs not lobed and ovate to oblong, or 3-lobed with mid-lobe much longer, crenate, 2–8 cm long;  petioles 1–8 cm long;  stipules ovate-triangular, 5–8 mm long.  Fls axillary, solitary; fruiting pedicels 6–20 mm long;  epicalyx segments ovate-acuminate, united for lower ?-1/2, c. ⅔ length of calyx, unchanged at fruiting;  calyx campanulate; calyx teeth ± = or slightly < tube, ovate-triangular, acuminate, densely clothed in stellate hairs, ± unchanged at fruiting;  petals deep pink, 25–35 mm long.  Mericarps c. 18–25 per fr., ± glabrous or sparsely hairy, smooth on back except for a single low longitudinal rib;  edges rounded.  

[From:  Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Dec.–Feb.