dwarf, succulent, spiny, leafless, 4–6 in. high, compactly much branched; branches usually 4- (or occasionally 5-) angled, about 4–5 lin. square, slightly channelled down the sides, glabrous; angles with opposite teeth or lobes 1/4– 2/3 in. apart, with their upper margin nearly truncate and that below the spines sloping; spine-shields narrow, extending below the spines 1/3– 3/4 of the way to the tooth below, but not forming a continuous horny margin, dark brown; spines in 2 pairs to each tooth, one pair at the base of the tooth, minute, rarely more than 1/2 lin. long, sometimes wanting, another pair at the apex of the tooth 2–6 lin. long, diverging, dark brown or grey; involucres 3 together, sessile in the axils of the teeth, 1 1/2 lin. in diam., cup-shaped, glabrous, bright yellow, with 5 glands and 5 broadly obovate fringed lobes; glands 1/2–1 lin. in their greater diam., transverse, narrowly oblong, with the inner margin turned up into a slight ridge, entire or with a slight notch at the middle on both margins; ovary sessile, included in the involucre, glabrous; styles 1–1 1/4 lin. long, shortly united at the base, minutely bifid or subentire at the apex; capsule sessile, partly exserted, 1 1/2 lin. in diam., 3-lobed as seen from above; seeds immature, about 1 lin. long, apparently 4-angled, with slightly rugose faces. null
