Glabrous evergreen shrub to c. 2 m high. Shoots pale yellowish, angled. Spines 3-partite, the main axis to 5 cm long. Lvs sessile or subsessile, 5-9 × 0.7-1.4 cm on flowering branches, narrowly lanceolate, rigidly coriaceous, shining above; margins spiny serrate and revolute; base attenuate to cuneate; apex spiny. Fls to 17 in fascicles, occasionally more. Bracts 2-3 mm long, ovate, mucronate. Pedicels c. 10 mm long at anthesis, becoming dark crimson. Perianth segments to 6 mm long, yellow, those of outermost whorl 1-2 mm long. Nectaries prominent. Stamens c. 3 mm long. Ovules 4. Style short. Stigma very large. Berry 5-7 mm diam., globose or subglobose, black and pruinose; fruiting style 0.5-1 mm long.