Shrub or small tree up to 6 m. high, sometimes bushy or scandent or drooping or ± procumbent (in S. Africa), unarmed, glabrous, without latex; branches lined when young, becoming terete. Leaves not fasciculate, petiolate; lamina pale green, concolorous, (1)3–6·6 × (1)1·3–3·1(4) cm., oblong or elliptic to obovate or oblanceolate, acute to obtuse or rounded at the apex, with margin reflexed, indurated, bearing 3–5 spinulose glandular denticles on each side or subentire, cuneate-angustate at the base, coriaceous, with c. 6 lateral nerves prominent on both sides or obsolete; petiole (1·5)2–4 mm. long. Cymes fasciculate, sessile, in axil of foliage leaves; pedicels 3–10 mm. long, articulated c. 1/5–1/3 above the base; flowers c. 2–10 in each fascicle, 3–4 mm. in diam. Sepals 5, unequal, 1–1·5 mm. long, ovate, rounded. Petals white, 1–2(3) mm. long, oblong to elliptic, sessile, with margin subentire, ± crisped. Stamens 5, with filaments c. 1 mm. long, slightly flattened, inserted within the outer margin of the disk. Disk subentire, flat except for thin free upturned margin. Ovary 3-locular, subglobose, c. 1/3-immersed in the disk; style almost absent; stigma capitate or very shortly 3-lobed. Capsule bright yellow to orange or orange-brown, 4–5 mm. long, obovoid or subglobose to 3-gonous or shallowly 3-lobed, with lobes rounded or keeled, smooth, dry. Seeds orange-brown, completely enclosed by an aril.
