Perennial, somewhat climbing undershrubs, attaining 90-130 cm high; stem much-branched, terete, armed with needle like sharp, stout spines 1.2-2.5 cm long, widened at base; leaves mostly on young shoots, crowded, obovate to oblong, spathulate, mucronate or acuminate at apex tapering towards base, entire margins; cyathia showy, crimson or bright red, in long-peduncled, dichotomous cymes, each subtended by 2 hemisperic or broadly ovate cuspidate, bright red bracts; involucral lobes fimbriate; glands ovoid or rounded, red; male flowers naked, pedicillate; stamen-1 without floral envelope; female flower with very long pedicel, perianth lobes 3, minute; ovary 3-lobed, 3-ovuled, 1 in each, styles-3, free or connate; fruits not seen.