Description: Thorny shrub; branchlets densely covered with minute warts; shoots with cataphylls at base; thorns recurved, 3–4 cm long. Leaves alternate, ovate to ovate-oblong, 3.5–9.5 cm long; apex acute-obtuse, emarginate; base rounded to subcordate; blade coriaceous, glabrous; petioles 5–6 mm long. Inflorescences with 1–3 flowers arranged in supra-axillary rows; pedicels 0.8–1.3 cm long. Sepals 4, in 2 whorls, oblong, to ca 1.2 by 0.4 cm, pubescent on both surfaces. Petals 4, imbricate, white, lanceolate, to ca 1.4 by 0.4 cm, apex obtuse-rounded, upper pair with tinged yellow or pink. Stamens numerous; filaments slightly longer than gynophore. Gynophore glabrous, 1.2–1.8 cm long. Ovary ridged; stigma discoid, sessile. Fruits baccate, ovoid, 4–5 cm long, ridged and corky; fruit pedicels to 4 cm long. Seeds obliquely reniform, ca 8 by 6 mm. |
