Rhizomatous scruffy shrub to 3 m high, rarely low branching tree to 8 m; new stems sparsely hairy with short arm T-shaped hairs, rigid with resin and persisting after the top cell dehisces; axillary spinescent short shoots present and persisting in most developmental stages. Leaves: seedling stage leaves 11–17 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, linear, initially alternate, 1 leaf/spine/node becoming clustered in a funnel-shaped arrangement with adaxial surface uppermost; adult leaves clustering, stem-clasping, thick, leathery, linear to slightly obovate, 20–25 mm long, 3–5 mm wide, apices rounded to truncate, sometimes mucronate; just petiolate; venation obscure on adaxial, but pellucid (waxy) spots present, abaxial with very few veins at an acute angle. Inflorescences are apparently functionally dioecious with unisexual flowers terminal on short shoots; solitary, paired or rarely in threes on distinctive short individual peduncles 3–5 mm long, with a basal, vestigial involucre. Sepals cohering briefly then free, spreading star shaped, with stamens exserted; filaments unequal lengths, adnate to petal joins; anthers free, dorsifixed, not versatile, 1.5 mm long, ovoid with rounded apices. Pistil very stipitate and the ovary barely distinguishable from the style; minimal stigmatic development. Female flowers: stamens reduced, not exserted; pistil with slender gynophore and basal nectary, ovary globose, septal ridge absent so appearing unilocular, but with two raised placentas each containing two rows of ovules, placentation parietal; ovary hairy with short base long arm T-shaped hairs, particularly towards the .base; style slightly shorter than ovary, terminating in a capitate stigma. Fruits are indehiscent, capsule-like; globose, 6–8 mm diam., thin-walled, exocarp brown-black, slightly bullate, endocarp smooth olive green, funicles purple-black extending almost to the apex of the chamber. Seeds c. 12, 3–4 mm long, orange/fawn-brown, angular reniform; margins thickened, immersed in a copious viscid, resinous liquid, very aromatic and sticky.
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