Tree to 7 m. high; trunk simple, marked with pit-scars resulting from fallen branches; branches spreading, then ascending and rebranching to form a rounded crown; terminal branches fleshy, 4–6-angled, 2–5(–6) cm. wide, shallowly winged, constricted at irregular intervals into pear-shaped segments 5–15 cm. long, greyish green and usually obliquely streaked with yellowish green; angles straight to shallowly and sinuately toothed, with teeth 5–15 mm. apart.. Spine-shields contiguous to form a horny margin 2–4 mm. wide, eventually pealing off in strips; spines sturdy, 2–15 mm. long, a little shorter at the constrictions; prickles weak, triangular, 0.5 mm. long, later obsolescent; secondary spines 0–3.5 mm. long flanking the flowering eye 2–5 mm. above the spines.. Leaves acutely deltoid, ± 2 × 1.5 mm.. Cymes 1–3 in a horizontal line, 1–2-forked, with stout peduncles and cyme-branches vertically arranged, 2–7.5 mm. long; bracts rounded, ± 4 × 6.5 mm.. Cyathia ± 4 × 7 mm., with cup-shaped involucres, all parts golden yellow; glands transversely elliptic, ± 1.8 × 3.5 mm., almost touching; lobes circular, 1.75 mm. in diameter.. Male flowers: bracteoles deeply laciniate, plumose; stamens 6.5 mm. long.. Female flower: perianth with 3 or more irregular lobes, to 1.5 mm. long; styles 4 mm. long, joined for 2 mm., apices thickened, rugose, distinctly bifid.. Capsule subsessile, 3-lobed, with truncate base and apex, ± 7.5 × 12 mm., dark red becoming brown.. Seeds subglobose, 3.3 × 3 mm., brown minutely speckled with darker brown, smooth.
Home