Tree to 6 m. high; trunk simple or occasionally forked, to 30 cm. in diameter, with brown, cracking bark; branches spreading then ascending and rebranching to form a large rounded crown; terminal branches fleshy, (3–)4–5(–6)-angled, 3–7 cm. wide, distinctly winged, constricted at irregular intervals into pear-shaped segments 5–15 cm. long; angles sinuately toothed, with teeth ± 1 cm. apart.. Spine-shields contiguous to form a horny margin 2–5 mm. wide, becoming corky; spines 3–10 mm. long, shorter at the constrictions; prickles absent or vestigial.. Leaves deltoid, ± 1.5 × 1.5 mm.. Cymes 2–4 in a horizontal line at the flowering eye 3–5 mm. above the spines, 1-forked, subsessile, with cyathia arranged vertically; bracts rounded, ± 2.5 × 3 mm.. Cyathia ± 2.5 × 5 mm., with cup-shaped involucres; glands transversely oblong, ± 1 × 2 mm., almost touching, yellow; lobes subcircular, ± 1 × 1 mm.. Male flowers: bracteoles deeply laciniate, plumose; stamens 4.3 mm. long.. Female flower: perianth 3-lobed, to 2 mm. long; styles 4.5 mm. long, joined for 2.8 mm., apices thickened, rugose, minutely bifid.. Capsule subsessile, distinctly 3-lobed, with truncate base, ± 6 × 9 mm., green becoming red.. Seeds subglobose, 2.6 mm. in diameter, yellowish brown, smooth.
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