Azima tetracantha spines

A good look at the spines of Azima tetracantha is sensible preventative management of personal comfort when hiking among these bushes.

Whorls around the stem of four spines at right angles to each other are spaced at the nodes, just above the leaf pairs. The spines are straight, hard and sharply pointed. They vary in length from 5 mm to 5 cm.

A prick from one of these spines causes a burning sensation reminding the victim to give the plant a wider berth. A common name of bee-sting bush highlights the feature (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Pooley, 1993).