Shrubs, evergreen, to 2 m tall. Branches dark gray; shoots deep purple, terete, glabrous; internodes 3-6 cm; spines 3-fid, 1-2 cm. Petiole very short; leaf blade adaxially green, shiny, lanceolate, 4-8.5 × 1.5-2.8 cm, leathery, abaxially glaucous, not pruinose, midvein distinctly raised, lateral and reticulate veins conspicuous, adaxially with slightly impressed midvein, lateral veins slightly raised, reticulate veins inconspicuous, base cuneate, margin flat, 8-15-spinose-serrate on each side, apex acuminate. Flowers (2-)4-8-fascicled. Pedicels 1-1.5 cm; bractlets triangular-ovate. Sepals in 2 whorls; outer sepals ovate-oblong, 3-3.5 mm; inner sepals obovate or suborbicular, ca. 4 × 3.2 mm. Petals obovate, ca. 3 mm, base clawed, with separate glands, apex subentire. Stamens ca. 2.5 mm; anther connective truncate. Ovules 3 or 4. Berry ovoid-ellipsoid, 7-8 × 4-5 mm, slightly pruinose, style not persistent. Fl. and fr. unknown.