Shrub up to 2 m tall, rarely a small tree up to 4 m tall, manv-branched, spinescent, glabrous. Brachyblasts well developed, up to 20 mm long. Branches terete, grey, occasionally with insect galls (thickened areas). Bark smooth and flaky. Spines robust, up to 40 mm long. Leaves fasciculate, chartaceous, green, shortly petiolale, glabrous; lamina obovate, 15-60 x 10-30 mm, apex round to emarginate, base cuneate, margin serrate, venation more obvious below; petiole ± 0.5 mm long; stipules subulate, ± 1 mm long, margin fimbriate, marcescent. Inflorescence a few-flowered dichasium. much shorter than leaves; peduncle 4-8 mm long; pedicels 1-2 mm long. Flowers unisexual, 3-7 per cyme. Sepals 5, broadly triangular. ± 1 mm long, margin laciniate, Petals 5, white or cream, obovate, 1.5-2.0 x 1.0 mm, erect, margin uneven. Disc ± 1 mm diam., flat. Male flowers: stamens 5, slightly shorter than petals; filaments ± 1 mm long, slender, arising below margin of disc; pistillode small, globose, style very short, unbranched. Female flowers: staminodes 5, shorter than stamens of male flowers; ovary 3(4)-locular, globose; style as long as ovary; stigma 3-or 4-branched, spreading. Capsules (3)4-valved, globose, 12-15 mm long, rugose, woody, pale brown with darker reddish brown patches, with stalks thickened; styles deciduous in fruit. Seeds dark brown, glossy, ± 4 mm long; aril yellow, partially covering the seed.
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