Monsonia spinosa spreading bush

A mature Monsonia spinosa bush is usually wider than it is tall.

Its thin, hard branches are covered by a waxy bark. In picture the stems appear yellowish among the bluish leaves. There are often vertical stretch markings visible on stem surfaces of this plant. The branching occurs mainly low down, the straight stems angling out.

This plant’s space is not easily violated via the openings between branches thanks to the presence of numerous stiff, sharp spines (Le Roux, et al, 2005; iNaturalist).