Information

Glabrous shrub, 1–3 m. tall. Young branches partially tinged dull red-brown, with many short shoots, 3–10(–15) mm. long, subtended by 3–5-fid spines; spines 1–4 cm. long, sulcate below. Leaves crowded, shortly petiolate, 3-foliolate; lateral leaflets very reduced, subulate or filiform, 1–3(–4) mm. long, persistent; terminal leaflet oblanceolate to obovate, 2.3–7 cm. long, 0.9–3.8 cm. wide, mucronate, entire or usually with several to 20 spiny teeth, coriaceous; venation open reticulate, with the lateral veins very oblique at the base, more spreading above; petiole 1–2 mm. long. Inflorescences of 8–15(–24) flowers in little-branched irregular panicles, 2.5–7.5 cm. long; bracts mostly narrowly triangular, up to 5 mm. long, with the lowermost ones often large and leafy. Flowers yellow, sometimes tinged red; perianth-segments in 5 series of 3; inner sepals the largest, spreading, rounded at the apex, 6–7 mm. long, 4–4.5 mm. wide; petals 6, brighter yellow, obovate, 4.5–6 mm. long, 2–4.5 mm. wide, with 2 glands near the base. Ovary narrowly ellipsoid, with 2–4–6 ovules. Berry ellipsoid, 8–12 mm. long, 6–7 mm. across, plum-red to dark purple, pruinose, perfecting 1–4 seeds. Stigma persistent. Seeds 5–7 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, brown, finely rugulose. Fig. 1.