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Cymes 1–3 from each flowering eye, lateral cyathia vertically arranged; peduncles 7–10 mm long, cyme branches 5–8 mm long, stout to 4.5 mm in diameter; bracts c. 7.5 mm wide, broadly elliptic, obtusely keeled, usually ± split.
Spine shields forming a continuous horny margin to 8 mm wide along the angles; spines stout, 2–7 mm long, diverging; prickles rudimentary; rudimentary secondary spines flanking the flowering eyes on young growth.
Cyathia 4–5 × 10–11 mm, with cup-shaped involucres; glands 2.5 × 5 mm, reniform, spreading, closely touching, yellow; lobes c. 2 × 3 mm, subquadrate.
Capsule 9–18 × 15–24 mm, obtusely lobed, truncate at the base and apex, exserted on a stout, curved pedicel to 13 mm long.
Female flower: perianth irregularly dentately 3-lobed; styles spreading, 2.25 mm long, joined up to two-thirds.
Candelabriform succulent tree to 5(7) m high; trunk stout, to 22.5(30) cm in diameter; crown flat-topped.
Seed 4 × 3.5 mm, subglobose, olive-brown, mottled with a waxy coating.
Male flowers c. 60: bracteoles fimbriate; stamens 6 mm long.
Leaves minute, quickly deciduous.
