Perennial, erect, spiny, tuberous herb or undershrub; stems and branches subscandent, armed, strongly 3-angled, curved, green; spines short; leaves supurred at base with hard spines; cladode linear or line2- whorlsar-lanceolate or falcate, flattened, fascicled, 2-6 nate; flowers small, numerous in fasciculate or paniculate racemes; pedicel ellongate; perianth lobes-6 in 2-whorls; white, lanceolate or elliptic-obovate, white, stamens 6; filaments short, anthers oblong; ovary 3-celled, ovules 1-2 in each locule, style-1, stigmas-3; berries globose, 2-6 seeded, deep red; seeds rounded, black.