Shrub of up to 2 m in height, with or without recurved thorns, hispid stems, square in cross section. Opposite or triangularly shaped leaves, oval to oblong, rugose lamina, crenate or serrate margins. Inflorescence with subulate lower bracts; corolla variable in colour from red to orange or yellow and lilac or light purple. Dark purple berries. 

Herbaceous succulent, perennial, glabrous, up to 1.5 m. Leaves often pinnate compound, 10 to 30 cm; leaflets oblong, oval or elliptic, obtuse, crenate; margins with buds. Panicles from 10 to
40 cm; calyx urceolate, oblong-bell shaped, from 3 to 3.5 cm; reddish corolla up to 7 cm.

Erect or decumbent herb less than 1.5 m, highly ramified. Lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic leaves, 3 to 10 cm, acuminate. Terminal inflorescences in lax panicles; subulate, puberulous glandular calyx segments; white, lilac or pink-coloured corolla, 8 to 10 mm Capsule of 1 cm in length, puberulous.

Shrub or small tree of up to 5 m, with milky yellow or reddish latex. Rounded-ovate leaves, 3-5 lobate, cordate at the base, sharp or acuminate at the apex. Small, dense, long-pedunculate cymes; whitish, oblong-ovate, densely pilose petals. Ellipsoid capsule, 2.5 to 4 cm; 2 cm seeds, blackish.