Shrubs or climbers up to 8 m long, stems strongly spiny, from a succulent ± warty, grey-green subglobose irregular trunk up to 2.5 m wide; spines up to 9 cm long; tendrils absent. Leaves grey-green, caducous, entire to 3-lobed, subtriangular to rhomboid or hastate, rounded at the base, acute at the apex, 0.3–0.7 x 0.15–0.9 cm, 3(–5)-nerved from the base, reticulation indistinct; petiole 0.1–0.15 cm; gland at blade-base single, ellipsoid to reniform, 1–2 mm in diam., no other glands present. Inflorescences 0.25–2(–5) cm, grouped in the axils of the spines, 1–5-flowered in male plants, 1–3-flowered in female plants. Male flowers narrowly tube- to funnel-shaped, 19–30(–35) mm long including the 6–10(–14) mm long stipe, 2–5 mm wide. Hypanthium 5–12 mm long; calyx-lobes lanceolate, obtuse, 6–9 mm long, entire. Petals obovate or ovate to oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or subacute, 4–7.5 x 1.5–2.5 mm, denticulate. Corona absent. Ovary rudimentary. Female flowers tubular-campanulate, (6–)8–12 mm long including the 1–2 mm long stipe, 2.5–4 mm wide. Hypanthium cup-shaped (1–)1.5–4 mm long; sepals lanceolate, obtuse, 5–8 mm long, denticulate. Petals oblong, subacute, (1.5–)2–3 x 0.75–1 mm, serrulate at the apex. Staminodes 1.5–3.5 mm, free. Corona absent. Pistil (4–)5–9 mm long. Gynophore (0.5–)1–1.5 mm. Ovary ovate-ellipsoid, 2.5–4.5 x 2–3(–3.5) mm; placentas 3; ovules 6–30; style-arms 3. Fruit subglobose to ovate-ellipsoid, excluding the 1–3 mm long gynophore 1.2–2.8 x 1–2 cm. Seeds broadly ovate, c. 7 x 5.5–6 mm, 6–9 pitted.
