Spiny succulent dwarf perennial, with a much-reduced underground stem merging into a ± depressed subspherical tuberous root to c. 8 cm in diameter.Branches numerous radiating from stem apex, erect and spreading, simple, to 15 cm long and 4–7 mm in diameter, (4)5–6-angled; angles with very prominent tubercles to 7 mm high and 5–20 mm apart along the margins.Spine shields borne on the upper oblique edge of the tubercles, c. 3 × 3 mm, subquadrate, dark reddish-brown; spines to 4 mm long with expanded bases, widely spreading; prickles obsolete.Leaves to 2.5 mm long, fleshy, subconical, acute, erect, deciduous.Cymes solitary, simple, or occasionally 2-forked or reduced to a single cyathium, peduncles to 5 mm long, cyme branches to 4 mm long; bracts 1 × 1.5 mm, scale-like.Cyathia 2–2.5 × 5 mm, with cup-shaped involucres; glands c. 2 × 1 mm, transversely oblong, spreading, yellow; lobes c. 1 × 2 mm, transversely broadly elliptic, fimbriate.Male flowers c. 20: fascicular bracts finely divided; bracteoles 1.75 mm long, filiform; stamens 3.5 mm long.Female flower: perianth 3-lobed, ovary deeply obtusely lobed, exserted on a recurved pedicel 6 mm long; styles 3–3.5 mm long, shortly united at the base, widely spreading with bifid apices.Capsule and seeds not seen.
