Gymnosporia vanwykii (R.H.Archer) Jordaan

Geoxylic suffrutex up to 0.5 m high, producing several erect shoots from orange-tinged rhizomes, glabrous, growing in colonies; branches angular and green at first, becoming terete, brown and longitudinally striate when mature. Spines axillary, leafless or rarely with reduced leaves towards tip, up to 15 mm long. Stipules inconspicuous. Leaves alternate, rarely fasciculate, subcoriaceous, pale green above, whitish green below, glabrous; lamina elliptic or elliptic-ovate, (9-25(-40) x (4-23(-32) mm, apex acute to rounded, base attenuate, margin glandular-serrulate, principal lateral veins alternate or opposite, 5-7 pairs, midrib slightly raised above and below; petiole 2-4 mm long. Stipules minute, marcescent. Inflorescence solitary, axillary; peduncle 3-11 mm long; pedicels 2-4 mm long. Flowers white, ±4.5 x 2.5 mm. Sepals triangular, apex acuminate, pale green tinged with red, 1.0 x 0.8 mm, margin entire or slightly laciniate. Petals obovate to oblanceolate, erect, ±2.5 mm long, margin entire or slightly laciniate. Disc concave with shallowly lobed margin. Male flowers: stamens longer than petals; filaments 4 mm long; anthers 0.5 mm long. Female flowers: staminodes shorter than stamens in male flowers, arising opposite sinuses below margin of disc, ±1.5 mm long; ovary 3-locular; style ±1.5 mm long, 3-branched, spreading, exserted. Capsule yellowish green, often tinged red, obconic-trigonous, smooth, semi-fleshy, 7-8 mm long. Seeds 1-3, yellowish brown; aril orange-yellow, completely covering the seed.