Rhigozum trichotomum sapling

The bark of Rhigozum trichotomum may be smooth and pale grey to whitish on young stems as on this young plant. The bark becomes darker, furrowed, warty and gnarled on older plants. The three spines common at stem tips and occasionally growing along the stems are straight. These three spines have given rise to the Afrikaans common name of driedoring (three thorn) that is well-known in the northwest of South Africa.

Note the angles at which the straight new branches grow from the stems (Coates Palgrave, 2002).