Shrub, 2-3 m tall, glabrous, with stem red-brown, sulcate; spines 3-fid, red, usually 10-15 mm long, stout; internodes 1-1.5 cm long. Leaves 7-15 (-25) mm long, 6-12 mm broad, broadly oblong-obovate, subsessile to 1-2 mm long petiolate, entire, rounded at apex, grey-pruinose below. Inflorescence 3-8-flowered, fascicled or subumbellate-subfascicled, 1-1.5 cm long, subsessile to peduncle 1-3 mm long. Pedicels 5-10 mm long. Berries somewhat black, pruinose grey, oblong, 8 (-10) mm long, 3.5 (-5) mm broad (immature), estylose.