Succulent perennial with stems densely tufted, procumbent usually to one side, sparsely branched, to 30 cm. long and 8 mm. thick, subcylindrical, green strongly variegated with yellow-green; branches with shallow teeth to 1.5 cm. apart in 4 longitudinal series.. Spinescence brownish grey; spine-shields elongated to 1 cm., divergent above the spines into 2 arms to 2.5 mm. long, decurrent to 8 mm.; spines slender, to 18 mm. long; prickles to 2 mm. long.. Leaves deltoid, ± 1 × 1 mm.. Cymes 1–2 in a vertical line, 1-forked, subsessile, all parts minutely papillose; bracts subquadrate, ± 1 × 1 mm.. Cyathia ± 2 × 4 mm., with funnel-shaped involucres; glands spreading, transversely rectangular, ± 1 × 1.75 mm., contiguous, yellow; lobes subcircular, ± 1 mm. in diameter.. Male flowers: bracteoles spathulate, dentate; stamens 3.2 mm. long.. Female flower: ovary subsessile; styles 1.8 mm. long, joined at the base, apices thickened, rugulose.. Capsule 3-lobed, sessile, ± 3 × 4 mm.. Seeds ovoid, 2.2 × 1.5 mm., minutely tuberculate.
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