Dovyalis hebecarpa

The shrub or small tree reaches no more than 15-20 ft (4.5-6 m) in height but its long, slender, arching, wide-spreading branches may cover 30 ft (9 m) of ground. Sharp spines to 1 1/2 in (4 cm) long, are plentiful on the trunk and lower branches. The alternate leaves are elliptical to ovate, pointed, 2 3/4 to 4 in (7-10 cm) long, wavy-margined, gray-green, finely velvety, with pinkish, woolly petioles, and thin in texture. Male, female and hermaphrodite flowers are borne on separate trees. They are petalless, greenish-yellow, nearly 1/2 in (1.25 cm) wide and clustered in the leaf axils. The fruit, borne in great abundance, is globose, 1/2 to 1 in (1.25-2.5 cm) wide. Its thin, bitter skin turns from somewhat orange to dark purple on ripening and is coated with short, grayish-green, velvety hairs, unpleasant in the mouth. The pulp is very juicy, extremely acid, purple-red, enclosing 9 to 12 hairy seeds about 1/4 in (6 mm) long.