Branching succulent perennial to 1.2 m. high; branches sharply 4-angled, bluish green usually with darker blotches along the angles; angles with shallow to prominent teeth 1–1.5 cm. apart.. Spine-shields elongated, to 2 × 1 mm. above the spines, decurrent to, or just above the flowering eye below; spines slender, to 1 cm. long; prickles 0.5–5 mm. long.. Leaves acutely deltoid, ± 2.5 x 1 mm.. Cymes solitary, 1-forked, with peduncles to 4 mm. long and cyme-branches to 5 mm. long; bracts ovate, ± 1.5 x 1.5 mm.. Cyathia ± 3.5 x 3.5 mm., with barrel-shaped reddish involucres; glands subcircular, ± 1.2 mm. in diameter, quite separate and facing inwards, yellow with a red margin; lobes broadly ovate, ± 0.75 x 0.75 mm.. Male flowers few: bracteoles filamentous; stamens well-exserted, 6 mm. long, red.. Female flower: ovary shortly pedicellate; syles to 6 mm. long, joined at the base up to 0.5 mm., apices scarcely thickened, red.. Capsule and seeds not seen.
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