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Calyx pubescent; tube in male/hermaphrodite flowers c. 3 mm long, tube in female/hermaphrodite flowers 4 mm long; limb-tube c. 4 mm long: in male/hermaphrodite flowers, abruptly and distinctly wider than tube: in female/hermaphrodite flowers, gradually widening to top; calyx lobes rounded or often apiculate at apex, separated by narrow or wide sinuses, sometimes with a small lobe in the sinus: lobes in male/hermaphrodite flowers 4–several, unequal, 3–4 mm long, narrowly oblong, oblong, ± narrowly obovate or somewhat spathulate, 1-or 3-nerved: lobes in female/hermaphrodite flowers 5, 6–10 mm long, narrowly obovate to circular, 3-nerved with secondary nerves apparent.
A several-stemmed, much-branched, spreading spiny shrub or small tree 2–6 m tall; young stems moderately slender, lenticellate, sparsely pubescent to pubescent, older branches robust; bark mid-grey or red-brown, smooth or ± flaky; spines virtually absent (from some specimens if not plants) or borne above cushion shoots or brachyblasts, single and alternate or opposite and decussate, sometimes developing into fertile branches; cushion shoots persisting on mature stems but becoming brachyblasts ± equal or exceeding the spines, eventually developing into unbranched or branched fertile branches.
Inflorescence stalks pubescent with bracts filiform and rudimentary bractlets absent or minute: male/hermaphrodite inflorescences 3–4-flowered, peduncle reduced (at least some flowers arising directly from base), branches present, pedicels 7–16 mm long, slender: female/hermaphrodite flowers solitary or 3 on a common branch, pedicels 1.4–2.2 cm long, not slender.
Corolla white turning yellow, densely silky outside, the hairs on the tube much longer than those on the lobes; tube very slightly longer than calyx limb-tube; lobes 6–12 mm long, broadly obovate, or ± round, finely pubescent near the margins or all over except for area near base inside.
Fruits yellow-green, 2.4–4 × 1.6–3 cm, broadly ellipsoid or ovoid, wrinkled, slightly ribbed, sparsely pubescent to pubescent or rarely very sparsely pubescent; calyx limb persistent with lobes 6–12 mm long; stalk 0.5–2 cm long.
Flowers sweet-scented, male, female and/or hermaphrodite, terminal or subterminal on brachyblasts or short shoots.
Anthers c. 4 mm long; style exserted from corolla throat by no more than 0.5 mm; pollen presenter c. 4 mm long.
Seeds c. 6–7 × 4 × 2–2.5 mm.
