Shrub 0.3–1 m high; young stems reddish pubescent, soon becoming glabrous; long branches often arching to the ground, spines usually present. Leaves: lamina narrowly obovate to narrowly oblanceolate, 3–13 mm long, 0.9–5 mm wide, base narrowly cuneate, apex obtuse to emarginate, slightly recurved, glabrous above, densely silky below when young; petiole 0.2–1.5 mm long; stipules narrowly triangular to triangular, 0.8–1.2 mm long, connate. Inflorescence of 3–5 flowers; bracts inconspicuous. Flowers white at anthesis, becoming deep pink in fruit; pedicel 1.4–4 mm long. Hypanthium tube 1.5–2.5 (–3) mm long, 1.8–2.5 mm in diam. Sepals ± erect, 1.2–2.3 mm long, glabrous. Petals 0.8–1.2 mm long. Stamens 0.7–1 mm long. Ovary summit smooth and glabrous. Style 1.7–2.6 mm long, persistent in fruit. Fruit obovoid, 2.8–3.2 mm long. Seeds orange-brown, c. 1.8–2 mm long, aril c. 0.4 mm long, orange-brown-translucent.
Occurs in low shrublands, in clay or sandy clay, sometimes associated with granite; recorded both on hills or breakaways and on plains.
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