Glabrous perennial shrub scrambling to 3 m. high, forming tangled masses of semi-woody branches, with very slender brittle branchlets to ± 15 cm. long arising at right-angles to the main branches and possibly deciduous; branches less than 1 cm. thick, glaucous, with leaf-scars made ± prominent by the formation of a dark brown callus produced as the leaf falls.. Leaves sessile, linear-lanceolate, to 30 × 3 mm., reflexed, caducous.. Cymes terminal on lateral branchlets, in 3–5-branched umbels surrounding a central cyathium, with simple rays to 3 cm. long, sometimes with 1–2 rays replaced by sterile leafy branchlets; bracts deltoid, ± 4.5 × 3.5 mm., but resembling the leaves below the umbel, caducous.. Cyathia on peduncles to 2 mm. long, ± 3 × 5 mm., with funnel-shaped involucres; glands 4, or 5 on the deciduous central cyathium which often develops only ♂ flowers, subcircular to transversely elliptic, ± 2 × 3.5 mm., yellow; lobes transversely rectangular, ± 0.7 × 1.5 mm., apex deeply notched, margin finely ciliate.. Male flowers: bracteoles numerous, spathulate, plumose; stamens 4.3 mm. long.. Female flower: ovary pedicellate; styles 2.5 mm. long, joined at the base, with spreading, thickened, distinctly bifid apices.. Capsule obtusely 3-lobed, ± 5.5 × 6.5 mm., exserted on a pedicel ± 6 mm. long.. Seeds ovoid, ± 3 × 2.5 mm., brownish grey, rugose, with a caruncle 1 mm. across.. Fig. 89/4, p. 472.
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