Very large tree; young branches fleshy, 4-angled, about ½-¾ in. diameter, armed with geminate, diverging stipular spines, about ⅙ in. long, blackish. Leaves glabrous, elongated cuneate-obovate, 3-12 in. long, tapering into the ⅓-1 in. long petioles. Cymes axillary, sessile, of 2-4 peduncle-like branches, 1½-2½ in. long, each with 2, about ½ in. long branches, each end ending in a solitary sessile invol.; bracts under invol. nearly ¼ in. long, ovate, deciduous. Invol. under ½ in. diameter, broadly cup-shaped; lobes 5, broadly cuneate, fringed; glands 5, transversely elliptic-oblong; ovary erect, glabrous. Belgian Congo (Niamniam-land: Yuru and Diagbe Rivers). =E. triaculeata= _Forsk._ =var. triacantha= _N.E. Br._ Spiny, succulent, leafless bushy plant, 5-20 in. high; stems with branches about ½ in. thick, usually 3-5 angled, angles often prominent, with deep notches forming triangular teeth, each margined with a horny shield bearing 1 straight needle-like spine up to 1 in. long and 2 small prickles at its base. Cymes small, solitary in axils of teeth, with 3 invols.; bracts scale-like. Invol. minute; lobes 5-6 transversely rectangular, fringed; glands united into a 5-lobed spreading rim; ovary not exserted. Red Sea Prov. (J. Waratab & Khor Seterra). =E. monacantha= _Pax._ Succulent, much branched, very spiny, leafless plant, 4-8 in. high; stems about ½ in. thick, with several spiral series of tubercles or tuberculate angles, each tubercle bearing 1 spreading spine ⅓-¾ in. long, with or without a pair of minute prickles at its base on a 3-lobed horny shield. Leaves scale-like, deciduous. Invols. 3 together in axils of the shields, sessile or nearly so, with a pair of oblong toothed bracts, cup-shaped, about 6⅛ in. diameter, lobes 5, cuneate; glands variable contiguous or separated; ovary sessile. Red Sea Province (Suakin). =E. Thi= _Schweinfth._ ANKHAU—Hadendowa; DAMBOTIT—Rashida. Succulent, spiny, leafless bush, 2-4 ft. high; branches erect, up to about 2 in. diam., 4-6 angled, constricted at intervals of 1-2½ in.; angles compressed, lobed by the constrictions with continuous horny margins; spines varying from ⅙-¾ in., in pairs, diverging, ⅙-½ in. apart. Cymes solitary in axils of spines, subsessile, with 3 invols.; bracts small, ovate. Invol. ⅙ in. diam., lobes 5, cuneate, fringed; glands 5, transversely oblong. Caps. ⅛ in. diam., partly exserted. Nubia (Wadi Teeke, between Suakin & Berber); Red Sea Prov. (Sinkat). =E. abyssinica= _Gmelin._ SHAGAR EL SIM—Arab; HEID—Hadendowa. Tree with succulent, leafless branches, which are ascending, forming a large crown and up to 8- (usually 6-) angled; angles scolloped or crenate owing to frequent constrictions; spines continuous on top of angles, in groups of 5 or 2, divaricate, about ½ in. long. Cymes crowded at top of branchlets; invol. with 5 transversely-elliptic, yellow glands. Capsules with a distinct 3-lobed calyx at base, crimson streaked with white when ripe.