Perennial, very prickly, rarely unarmed undershrub; branches densely scabrid, sometimes puberulous; leaves elliptic or ovate, acuminate or spine tipped, tapering at base, sparsely pubescent beneath, shortly petiolate; flower sessile in short, terminal or axillary spikes; bracts lanceolate, 1-2 cm long, spine tipped, lower larger, foliaceous; bracteoles very narrow, almost spine tipped, sometimes absent; calyx 4-partite, divided nearly to the base, 2-outer sepals broadly lanceolate, acuminate, sometimes mucronate; corolla orange yellow, glabrous or puberulous, slightly 2 lipped, upper lip with 4 nearly equal, rounded lobes, lower lip rather shorter, stamens 2 fertile, 2 staminodes; disc annular, often a toothed cup, half enclosing the ovary; ovary 2-celled, 4-ovuled, style long, shortly bifid or sub entire; capsule ovoid with a tapering beak, 4 seeded; seeds compressed, ovate, hairy.