Rigid, prickly, spreading, intricately branched, dark green shrubs 2-3 m high and usually wider than high; branches terete, reddish-brown, slightly pubescent; bark brown slightly roughened and flaky at the base of stems. Stipules small rigid, short, spiny. 

<P>Phyllodes linear-lanceolate, 1-2.5 em long, c. 2 mm broad, flat, rigid, sessile, divaricate, striate, glabrous, 2-3 prominent raised longitudinal veins and a few less prominent veins in between, apex tapering into a reddish-brown pungent point. 

<P>Inflorescences simple, axillary, usually twin; spikes rather sparse, shorter than phyllodes, cylindrical to almost globular, bright yellow; receptacles glabrous, 3-10-flowered; peduncles slightly pubescent, 2-5 mm long. 

<P>Legumes linear, 5-8 cm long, 2-3 mm broad, much curved and finally loosely coiled, raised over the seeds, brown, margins slightly constricted between seeds. Seeds longitudinal in legume; funicle short with one or two folds beneath seeds, thickening into a yellowish conical aril which covers the base of the seed.