Shrub up to 2 m high, rarely a small tree up to 4 m high, spinescent, glabrous. Branches terete, reddish brown when young, becoming grey with age. Brachyblasts short. Thorns robust, terete, up to 70 mm long, rarely floriferous. Stipules subulate, ± 1 mm long, margin fimbriate. Leaves fasciculate or alternate towards tips of branchlets, subcoriaceous, greyish green when fresh, greyish when dry; lamina ovate, obovate to oblanceolate, 15-40 x 10-20 mm, apex acute to rounded, base cuneate, margin with incisions in distal half, venation not obvious below except for raised midrib in dry specimens; petiole ± 0.5 mm long. Inflorescence a dense dichasium, slightly shorter than or as long as leaves; peduncle 6-12 mm long, reddish purple; pedicels 1-2 mm long. Flowers unisexual, pentamerous, white or cream-coloured, 15-19 per cyme, sweetly scented. Sepals triangular. ± 0.8 mm long, margin laciniate. Petals oblong, 1-2 mm long, margin uneven. Disc ± 1.5 mm wide, 5-lobed. Male flowers: stamens slightly shorter than petals; filaments ± 1 mm long; pistillode short, style unbranched. Female flowers: staminodes shorter than stamens in male flowers; ovary 3-locular, half-ridged, style very short; stigma3-branched, spreading. Capsules subglobose, 4-5 mm diam., 3-valved, each valve with outer surface ridged towards distal end, smooth, coriaceous, yellow to dark red to purplish. Seeds reddish brown, shiny; aril thin, yellow, partially covering the seed.
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