Shrub, dioecious, up to 3(4) m in height, spiny, very ramose, sometimes intricate, especially when grazed by cattle. Stems and older branches tortuous, with strong spines. Bark greyish-brown, fissured. Young branches reddish-brown, sometimes clearly red, smooth, slightly shiny. Leaves trifoliolate (leaflets rarely 5), alternate, generally grouped in fascicles. Central leaflet larger than the 2 lateral ones; obovate or oblong, sometimes spatulate, with lobules or with wide teeth on the upper half or more rarely along the entire contour \u2014sometimes twice lobulate-dentate\u2014; glabrous and deep green on the upper side and \u00b1 pubescent and slightly lighter on the underside. Petiole well developed, almost as long as the leaf (sometimes even longer) flattened in cross section and curved upwards. Inflorescence in ramose axillary racemes, short (2-3 cm). Calyx with 5 triangular sepals, very small, green. Corolla with 5 oval-triangular petals, open in the shape of a star, yellow. Stamens 5, borne on a central fleshy disc, yellow. Fruit a circular compressed drupe, similar to a wide lentil, 3-7 mm in diameter, greenish-yellowish at first, then red and finally black, smooth, shiny, with 3 small appendages at the top.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-13143","species","type-species","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n