Spiny succulent subshrub to 1.5 m high, sparingly branched.Branches 4-angled, c. 10 mm in diameter, bright green; angles with shallow tubercles to 15 mm apart along the margins.Spine shields c. 2 mm wide, narrowing and decurrent almost to the flowering eye below, pale grey; spines to 6 mm long; prickles to 1.5 mm long.Leaves c. 1.5 × 1.5 mm, deltoid, deciduous.Cymes solitary, simple, subsessile; bracts c. 1.5 × 1.5 mm, subquadrate.Cyathia c. 2.5 × 5 mm, with cup-shaped involucres; glands c. 1 × 2.5 mm, transversely rectangular, touching, yellowish becoming red; lobes c. 1 × 1.5 mm, elliptic.Male flowers: bracteoles c. 2 mm long, denticulate; stamens c. 3 mm long.Female flower: styles 2.5 mm long, joined at the base, apices thickened.Capsule c. 1.8 × 4.5 mm, obtusely lobed, ± sessile.Seeds 2.2 × 1.8 mm, ovoid, minutely verrucose, brown.
