Shortly rhizomatous succulent perennial, with a thickened rootstock; stems branching densely from the base, erect to ± 15 cm., or to 1 m. long and arching over, sprawling and rooting to form new plants; branches 7–10 mm. thick, subcylindrical, dark greyish green occasionally with paler streaks, sparsely rebranched; branches with teeth absent or very shallow and 1–2 cm. apart in 4 longitudinal series.. Spinescence dark reddish brown; spine-shields oblong-triangular, 1–2 × 1–2 mm. above the spines, decurrent to 8 mm. and ± halfway to the flowering eye below; spines slender, to 15 mm. long; prickles fine, 1–3 mm. long.. Leaves deltoid, ± 1 mm. long.. Cymes solitary, 1-forked, with peduncles and cyme-branches to 8 mm. long; bracts deltoid, ± 1.25 × 1 mm.. Cyathia ± 3.5 × 5.5 mm. with funnel-shaped involucres; glands rounded, ± 1.5 × 2 mm., completely separate, pinkish yellow; lobes transversely rectangular, ± 1 × 1.5 mm.. Male flowers: bracteoles few, filamentous; stamens well exserted, 5.5 mm. long, red.. Female flower: styles slender, to 4 mm. long, joined only at the base, apices thickened.. Capsule shortly exserted on an erect pedicel ± 2.5 mm. long, obtusely 3-lobed, ± 3 × 4.5 mm.. Seeds ovoid, 2 × 1.6 mm., pale brown, with small widely spaced tubercles.
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