Multi-stemmed, much-branched shrub up to 3 m high, glabrous; branches reddish brown, terete to subangular, with pale lenticels on young branchlets. Spines axillary, up to 10 mm long, or up to 80 mm long on young branchlets. Stipules short, triangular, not conspicuous. Leaves small, membranous, glabrous, pale green; lamina broadly ovate-lanceolate or ovate or subcircular, 10-50 x 6-25 mm, apex obtuse or rounded, sometimes mucronate, base subcordate to cuneate, margin irregularly rounded-serrulate, reticulate venation prominent on both sides; petiole 2-10 mm long. Inflorescences 1-3 together, axillary, very lax, filiform and usually exceeding leaves; peduncle (5-)(7-23) mm long; pedicels 2.0-5.5 mm long, articulated at or near base. Flowers white, 2-4(-5) mm diam. Sepals unequal, triangular to semicircular, 0.4-1.0 mm long, margin ciliolate to subentire. Petals oblong to oblong-elliptic, 1.5-2.7 mm long, margin ciliolate. Disc yellow, small, convex, 5-lobed. Male flowers: stamens slightly shorter than petals; filaments 0.7-1.0 mm long, slender. Female flowers: staminodes much shorter than stamens in male flowers; ovary 3-locular; style short, 3-branched, divergent. Capsule obconic-trigonous, semi-inflated, smooth, pinkish, 12-15 mm long. Seeds 1-3, reddish brown, rugulose; aril orange-red, completely covering the seed.
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