Variable, sparsely spiny to very spiny shrub up to 1.5 to 3 m tall. Leaves opposite to subopposite, short-petiolate, ovate to broadly elliptic, serrulate to entire, obtuse to acute or retuse. Inflorescence usually spikes or terminal panicles of spikes, rarely solitary axillary. Flowers small, subsessile, yellow. Sepals and petals small, up to 1 mm long. Drupes globoid, 6-7 mm long, dark brown to purpulish, with 2-3 stones.