Shrub up to 2 m, consisting of strongly curved, ± woody and flexuous spiny stems from a woody-succulent grey-green subglobose trunk up to 1 m wide; spines up to 4 cm long; tendrils absent. Leaves grey-green, caducous, 3-lobed, broadly ovate in outline, rounded and peltate at the apex. 0.25–0.4 x 0.2–0.3 cm, 3-nerved from the base, reticulation indistinct; petiole 0.1–0.2 cm; gland at blade-base single, reniform, c. 2 mm in diam., no other glands present. Inflorescences 1–4 cm, grouped in the axils of the spines, c. 3-flowered. Male flowers not known. Female flowers tubular-funnel-shaped, 30–32 mm long including the 9–10 mm long stipe, 4–6 mm wide. Hypanthium 9–11 mm long; calyx-lobes lanceolate, obtuse, 10–12 mm long, entire. Petals lanceolate, subacute, c. 4 x 1(–2) mm, serrulate in the upper half. Staminodes 3.5–4 mm long, free. Corona absent. Pistil 14–16 mm long. Gynophore 4–5 mm long. Ovary ovoid-ellipsoid, 7–8 x 5–5.5 mm; placentas 5; ovules c. 150; style-arms 5. Fruit ellipsoid, pendent, excluding the curved 10–11 mm long gynophore c. 4 x 3 cm. Seeds not known.
