Spreading many-stemmed succulent shrub, erect or subscandent to 3 m. high, ± sparsely branched above; branches slender, sharply 4(–5)-angled, 1–2 cm. thick, uniformly dark glaucous green; angles without teeth, the spine-pairs 1–1.5 cm. apart.. Spinescence grey-black; spine-shields slender, 2–3 mm. long above the spines, decurrent to the flowering eye below to form a continuous horny margin; spines slender, to 8 mm. long; prickles rudimentary.. Leaves deltoid, ± 1 × 1 mm.. Cymes solitary, 1-forked, subsessile, all parts dark crimson; bracts subquadrate, ± 1.5 × 1.5 mm.. Cyathia ± 2.5 × 5 mm., with broadly funnel-shaped involucres; glands transversely rectangular, ± 1.25 × 2.5 mm., contiguous; lobes transversely elliptic, ± 1.25 × 1.5 mm.. Male flowers: bracteoles spathulate, deeply dentate; stamens 4.5 mm. long.. Female flowers: styles 2 mm. long, joined for 1/3, apices thickened.. Capsule scarcely exserted on a pedicel ± 2 mm. long, 3-lobed, ± 3 × 4 mm.. Seeds subglobose, 1.75 × 1.5 mm., pale brown, areolate.
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