Usually a stiff much-branched spiny shrub to 6 m. but with very variable branching; branches usually in whorls of 3, white or grey-brown, densely pubescent when young; spines short, up to 4–5 mm. long or sometimes absent (at least on pieces preserved), mostly placed just above the nodes; in some specimens the side-branches are reduced or very short and nodes telescoped, the internodes 0.3–1 cm. long.. Leaf-blades elliptic, 1–2.5(–4) cm. long, 0.6–1.5(–2) cm. wide, rounded at the apex, ± cuneate at the base, not thin, with only 2–3 lateral nerves on each side of midrib, glabrous above and beneath or with curled pubescence on midrib and venation beneath and sometimes margins obscurely ciliate; barbellate domatia also present (but see note); petiole 1–2 mm. long, glabrous or pubescent; stipule-bases 1 mm. long, brown and scarious, pubescent, with reflexed appendage. 1.5–2 mm. long.. Cymes 2–3-flowered; peduncle 1.5–2 mm. long; pedicels 1–10 mm. long; bracts brown and scarious, under 1 mm. long.. Buds acuminate.. Calyx-tube 0.8–1 mm. long, the limb very short truncate or very slightly toothed.. Corolla cream or greenish; tube 1.8–3 mm. long, with deflexed hairs inside on upper half; lobes 5–6, 2–3.5 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide, acuminate with very short appendages, densely papillate inside.. Anthers appendaged and papillate.. Ovary 3-locular; style exserted ± 2 mm.; stigmatic club 1 mm. wide.. Fruit 7–7.5 mm. long, 6–11 mm. wide, with 1–3 pyrenes, the pedicels up to 1.4 cm. long.