Family Cactaceae
This is a low-growin g scrambler that thrives in the undergrowth and below trees formin g an impenetratable thicket.
Stems resemble thick ropes and carry regularly spaced tufts of very sharp thorns along their length.
Flowers are borne in the late summer, open at night and become wilted by midmornin g the next day.
The white flowers are replaced by bright red, golfball-size fruits which split open when ripe to expose small black seeds in a white marshmallowy pulp.
The species is very in vasive in savanna and should not be cultivated.
