Tree to about 10 m tall. New growth with reddish bark, spines stout, white, up to 7 cm long, with dark tips. Leaves with 2-7 pairs of pinnae, each with 8-20 pairs of leaflets 4-7 mm long, 1-3 mm wide. Flowers in yellow balls, fragrant. Fruit pods thin, curved, slightly constricted.

With a reputation as an environmental weed specimens were removed from the RBGV under the instructions of the Department of Primary Industry. Though they had never borne seed other specimens at the Melbourne Zoo, also removed, were seed-bearing.

S Africa.

Long white spines.

VIC: Bendigo (White Hills Bot. Gds).

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Mimosaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.