Erect, spiny herb, about half meter high; branches pubescent or nearly glabrous; cladodes upto 4 cm long, axillary with spiny, stout, rigid tips, 4-angled, 10-16 at each node, with or without scattered bristles in lower half and 2 spinous teeth at the apex; leaves long petioled, ovate-oblong, entire, acuminate at apex, pubescent or nearly glabrous; flowers axillary, appearing whorled in between the cladodes, sessile; bracts small, bracteoles pointed, longer than calyx; sepals-5, sublinear, lanceolate, pointed, glabrous or puberulous, glandular; corolla blue or lilac, large, bi-lipped (2+3), tube slightly enlarged above, lobes spreading, obtuse, imbricate in bud; stamens-2, anthers 2-celled, cells equal or sometimes one smaller, muticous, connective very hairy behind; ovary glabrous, 6-16 ovuled, style slender, shortly bifid at the tip; capsules narrowly oblong, acute, 6-16 seeded; seeds ellipsoid, compressed, yellowish brown, densely, shortly hairy when moistened.