Shrub with a smooth exterior. Bark is gray, rough and corky, covered with straight or recurved, 3-7 mm long, paired thorns; leaves are only on young branches, caducous, linear, 1-2 cm long, apex short, stiff, pale mucro-like prickle; flowers are red or pink, rarely yellow, in lateral corymbs; berries are globose or ovoid, 1-2 cm in diameter, dull red; seeds are globose, 2-5 mm in diameter.

Astringent (root bark); laxative and stimulant (plant); antibacterial (seed).

Capparine, capparinine and cappariline (bark); polyphenols (plant); glucocapparin (seed).

Useful in cough, asthma and inflammations (root bark); as a poultice on boils and swellings, to relieve toothache (tender leaves); in remittent fevers and rheumatism (stem bark); to animals for stomach disturbances (decoction of ariel parts).

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.