Erect, multistemmed, compact, very hairy, evergreen shrublet of foxtail form, olive to grey-green, 300-500 mm high. Rhizome woody; roots 0.1-5.5 mm diam.; with a few lateral ellipsoid tubers present, 36-40 x 14-21 mm; cataphylls present. Stems 1.2-5.0 mm thick, faintly ribbed, pale, terete, covered in white hairs, skin peeling in patches in older specimens to smooth below. Spines 1.2-6.0 mm long, straight, thin, facing sideward or downward, hairy, only present below branch axils on main stem. Leaf scales triangular, 1.0-3.2 x 1.0-1.5 mm. grey with dark blotches, becoming smaller distally, and finally disappearing. Branches 1-5, 117-134 mm long, arising in clusters from stem, curving upwards, very hairy. Branchlets absent. Cladodes (6-)8-10 in fascicle, up to 36 in terminal fascicles, clavate to linear. (1.5-)4.0-6.4 (-10) x 0.5 mm long, olive green, slightly curved, apex apiculate, 0.5 mm long, 6-or 7-angled, with simple white hairs (0.2 mm long) along angled ridges, hairs radiating out to side alternately. Flowers single, borne in cladode fascicle, no scent detected. Pedicel 0.5-2.0 mm long, articulated in top half, hairy, base surrounded by cluster of small membranous scales. Tepals 6. 3 larger 2.1-2.5 x 1.0-1.5 mm. 3 smaller 2-2.1 x 0.9-1.0 mm, white, median stripe brownish, with a ridge of hairs, apex acute, margin sometimes serrated. Stamens 6; filaments 2.6-3.5 mm long, fused length 1.5 mm. free length 1.1-2.0 mm: anthers orange. Style 1 mm long; stigma 3-fid, arms 0.10.2 mm long. Ovary trilocular. 1.0-1.5 x 1 mm. Fruit a berry, 5-7 mm diam., red when ripe, with persistent perianth.
Home