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Cyathia c. 2.5 × 4–4.5 mm, with cup-shaped involucres; glands to 2 × 0.75 mm, transversely oblong, touching, yellow; lobes c. 1.4 × 1.6 mm, obovate, denticulate.
Spine shields separate at first, becoming joined with age into a horny margin 1–1.5 mm wide; spines 4–5 mm long, widely diverging; prickles rudimentary.
Stem stout, to 10 cm in diameter, very short or often to 50 cm high, with a crown of ascending branches.
Capsule 3 × 7 mm, acutely lobed, base truncate, exserted on a recurved pedicel to 8 mm long.
Female flower: styles c. 2.25 mm long, joined to halfway, with spreading bifid apices.
Male flowers c. 15: bracteoles filiform, c. 2.5 mm long; stamens c. 4 mm long.
Cymes solitary, simple, subsessile; bracts c. 1.5 × 1.5 mm, scale-like.
Seeds c. 2 × 2.25 mm, subglobose, brown, smooth.
Succulent spiny shrub to c. 1 m high.
Leaves 3–4 × 1 mm, ovate, deciduous.
