HABIT	A FAST GROWING, ABUNDANTLY THORNY, BIENNIAL OR PERENNIAL SHRUB.
STEMS	BUNCHING, OFTEN SCRAMBLING OVER OTHER PLANTS, FOUR-ANGLED, THE ANGLES USUALLY WITH A LINE OF SHARP, HOOKED PRICKLES.
LEAVES	ALTERNATE, BRIGHT GREEN, FEATHERY AND FERN-LIKE, EACH LEAF DIVIDED INTO FIVE TO SEVEN PAIRS OF SEGMENTS. EACH SEGMENT CARRIES ABOUT TWENTY PAIRS OF VERY SMALL LEAFLETS WHICH CLOSE UP WHEN DISTURBED, INJURED, OR AT NIGHTFALL.
FLOWERS	VERY SMALL PALE PINK FLOWERS OCCUR AS ROUND, FLUFFY BALLS, ABOUT 12 MM ACROSS, ON SHORT STALKS IN THE LEAF JOINTS.
FRUITS	PODS ARE CLUSTERED, EACH ABOUT 25 MM LONG AND 6 MM BROAD WHEN RIPE. CLOTHED WITH SMALL PRICKLES, THESE LATER BREAK INTO FOUR OR FIVE ONESEEDED PIECES.
SEEDS	2-3.5 MM LONG; FLATTENED OVATE; YELLOW-BROWN; GLOSSY; THERE IS HORSESHOE SHAPED RING ON EACH FACE.