Tree to 25 m. high, with a simple trunk to ± 80 cm. in diameter and smooth wrinkled greyish brown bark; primary branches spreading-ascending, sparsely rebranched, with clusters of fleshy branchlets at the apices forming a loose crown; branchlets irregularly rebranching, 3–4-angled, 2–6 cm. wide, deeply and thinly winged, ± constricted at irregular intervals into pear-shaped or oblong segments to ± 20 cm. long; angles sinuately toothed with teeth ± 1.5 cm. apart.. Spine-shields obtusely triangular, 3–5 mm. long and wide, eventually extended to enclose the flowering eye just above; spines 1–2.5 mm. long; prickles rudimentary.. Leaves rounded, to 9.5 × 10 mm.. Cymes 1–3 in a horizontal line or occasionally 4 crowded together, 1-forked with stout peduncles, and cyme-branches 2–3 mm. long arranged in a vertical plane; bracts rounded, 3 × 4 mm.. Cyathia ± 3.5 × 7 mm., with cup-shaped involucres; glands transversely elliptic, ± 2 × 4 mm., not quite touching, yellowish green; lobes subcircular, ± 2 × 2 mm.. Male flowers: bracteoles spathulate, plumose; stamens 4.5 mm. long.. Female flower: perianth irregularly divided into 3–5 lobes, to 1.5 mm. long; styles 1.2 mm. long, joined at the base, apices rugose, bifid.. Capsule subsessile, obtusely 3-lobed, ± 12 × 15 mm.. Seeds subglobose, 4 × 3.5 mm., brownish grey, mottled, smooth.