Shrub or small tree 2.5–9 m. tall with ± scandent branches or a liane 6–20 m. long; stems often forming dense tangles; bark on branches dark plum-coloured, ± longitudinally fissured; spines slender, 0.4–2.6 cm. long, supra-axillary, sometimes one of the pair developed as a side branch.. Leaves pseudoverticillate, appearing to be in whorls of 4; blades ovate-elliptic, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, 2–7(–12) cm. long, 1.2–3.4(–6) cm. wide, mostly obtuse at the apex, ± cuneate at the base, glabrescent to pubescent and ciliate and domatia absent or feebly developed, not markedly discolorous; petioles 3–6 mm. long, pubescent or glabrescent; stipules with subulate tip 1–2 mm. long.. Flowers in short fascicles on very abbreviated shoots, sometimes appearing before the leaves are fully developed; pedicels 1–6(–8 in fruit) mm. long, hairy or glabrous; buds glabrous or sparsely hairy.. Calyx-lobes triangular to subulate, 0.5–0.7 mm. long.. Corolla green; tube 1.25–2(–3) mm. long; lobes 2–3 mm. long, with appendage 0.5 mm. long; stigmatic club crown-shaped, 0.5–0.8 mm. long; exserted part of style 1–1.5 mm. long.. Fruit brown, subglobose, 1.7 cm. long, 1.9–2 cm. wide, ± bluntly angularly 5-lobed; pyrenes 4–5, segment-shaped, 1.6 cm. long, 8–9 mm. wide, 4–6 mm. thick.. Seeds soft, compressed-fusiform, 1 cm. long, 3 mm. wide, narrowed at both ends, margins thickened.
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A spiny shrub. It grows 2-4 m high. The branches curve upwards and the crown is narrow. It can be a creeper. The bark is grey-brown. There are pairs of spines where the leaves are attached. The leaves are yellow-green and slightly shiny. The flowers are in clusters in the axils of leaves. They are cream or green. The fruit is an almost round five angled berry. It is 2 cm across. There are 2 subspecies. Subspecies comorensis is more common and tetraphylla occurs in northern Kenya
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