Rhizomatous geoxylic suffrutex with erect, sparsely branched stems, usually not more than 0.8 m tall, rarely up to 1.5 m tall, forming extensive colonies, spinescent or occasionally without spines, glabrous. Brachyblasts usually absent. Branches angular and green when young, becoming terete and grey with age, smooth. Spines short and slender, up to 10 mm long. Leaves alternate, rarely fasciculate, coriaceous, glaucous, discolorous when dry, shortly petiolate, glabrous; lamina obovate, 25-42 x 11-32 mm, apex rounded, obtuse, mucronate, base cuneate, margin serrate, venation obscure above, obvious below; petiole 2-3 mm long. Stipules very short, subulate. Inflorescence a subdichasium, borne terminally and axillary, peduncle flattened, reddish brown, 3-6 mm long; pedicels 2-3 mm long; bracts prominent, persistent, reddish brown, oblong-triangular, margin fimbriate, apex acute. Flowers white to cream, produced in profusion, pentamerous. Sepals 1.5 mm long, ovate, margin ciliate. Petals 2 mm long, oblong, margin ciliolate. Disc fleshy, annular. Male flowers with stamens longer than petals; filaments 1.5-2.0 mm long, arising at base of disc; anthers 0.5 mm long, versatile; pistillode small, subglobose; style short, unbranched Female flowers with style and stigma longer than petals, protruding; style 1.5-2 mm long; stigma 2-branched, spreading. Ovary 2-locular, ovules 2 per locule. Capsules 2-valved, globose, coriaceous, smooth, transversely striate, 4-6 mm long, dark red or purplish; styles persistent in fruiting stage. Seeds 2-4, ellipsoid, reddish brown, glossy; aril white, partially covering seed.
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