Subshrub 0.3–1(–3) m tall; stems red-brown, 1–4 mm thick at base, glabrous, rarely subscabrid.. Leaves ovate to circular, 16–34(–52) mm long, 12–27(–53) mm wide, apex acute, base cordate to obtuse, margin singly to doubly serrate to crenate, stellate-subscabrid or smooth on both sides, beneath with a pair of rounded-cylindrical pale brown glands 0.5 mm diameter flanking the petiole-apex; petiole stellate-subscabrid, 5–25 mm long, sometimes with a groove above, the top 1/10 distinctly swollen and thickly hairy; stipules bristle-like, 2.5–6 mm long, glabrous.. Inflorescences terminal, spike-like, 3.5–28(–35) cm long, unforked (rarely with up to 10 forks, each up to 15 cm long), internodes 3–25 mm, with highly reduced leaves 2–3 mm long, glands as in normal leaves; partial-peduncles 2–4 at each node, 1–2(–3) mm long, subopposite the reduced leaf, 2–3-flowered, cymose; bracts and bracteoles ovate-triangular; pedicels 1–1.5 mm long.. Sepals oblong-lanceolate, 3.5–5(–8) mm long, 0.5 mm wide, glabrous or subglabrous, apical spine 0.25–0.5 mm long.. Petals spathulate, 3.5–4(–8) mm long, 1.25–2 mm wide, the proximal 1 mm long-hairy; stamens 19–23; ovary echinate.. Fruit spherical to ellipsoid, to 10 mm long, 8 mm wide, with three deep longitudinal sutures, the surface thinly yellowish tomentose, spines 40–60, each up to 4 mm long, glabrous or sub-glabrous, less than 0.5 mm diameter at the base, apex with inclined bristle.. Fig. 12/10–13 (p. 77).
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