A shrub, much branched from the base, 3–10 ft. high; branches angular, glabrous, with spinescent stipules; flowering branchlets produced in clusters of 2–4, up to 3 in. long, leafy, glabrous. Leaves oblong or oblong-elliptic, truncate or rounded and often mucronate at the apex, rounded or obtuse at the base, 1/4– 1/2 in. long, 1 1/2–4 lin. broad, thin or very slightly chartaceous, glabrous on both surfaces; lateral nerves spreading, very faint, about 7 on each side; petiole 3/4 lin. long, glabrous; stipules on the flowering branchlets oblong, brown, membranous, ciliate. Flowers monœcious, axillary, about 4 or 5 males and 1 female in each fascicle; pedicel slender, 1 1/2 lin. long, glabrous. Male flowers: Sepals 4, ovate, obtuse or subacute, 3/4 lin. long, 1-nerved, glabrous. Disk-glands 4, rounded or transversely oblong, fleshy, slightly pitted. Stamens 4, two of the filaments connate for nearly their full length, the other two free and slightly shorter; anthers dehiscing longitudinally. Female flowers: Sepals 5, a little longer than those of the male. Disk fleshy, cupular, very slightly crenulate or entire. Ovary ovoid or ellipsoid, slightly wrinkled, glabrous; styles long and slender, free to the base, entire or very minutely bifid. Fruits fleshy, ellipsoid, about 2 lin. in diam. Ripe seeds not seen.
