Scandent shrub with short spreading axillary branchlets, some of which are reduced to short slightly to quite strongly recurved opposite spines. Leaves opposite, shortly petiolate, with elliptic blades having acarodomatia in the axils of the nerves; stipules simple, connate into a short sheath below, thickened above. Flowers hermaphrodite, strongly scented, 5-merous, in dense corymbs or subcapitate at the ends of short axillary 1–few-noded branchlets, supported by a pair of normal leaves, reduced leaves or bracts. Calyx-tube ovoid, with very short free limb and short ovate-triangular lobes. Corolla white, glabrous outside; tube narrowly cylindrical with short sparse hairs inside; lobes elliptic to lanceolate, with contorted aestivation. Stamens with very short filaments, inserted at the throat; anthers exserted. Disc annular. Style filiform, glabrous; stigma-lobes lanceolate, flattened, adhering together, not exserted, with stigmatic papillae only on the outside, never in contact with the anthers in bud. Ovary 2-locular, each locule with 4–5 ovules immersed near the margins of fleshy placentas affixed to the middle of the septum. Fruit globose, fleshy with a thin endocarp, crowned by the persistent calyx-limb. Seeds few in each locule.
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