Prickly, acaulescent (stemless) perennial; large, tuberous, resinous root. Leaves are large, prostrate, diamond to oval-shaped with hairy, toothed margins and with prominent spines in leaf recesses. Male and female flowers on separate plants, male flowers on short stalks, cream-coloured; female flowers are stalkless, yellowish-green and  surrounded by spiny, leafy bracts.

Greek: arktos = a bear, pous = foot; referring to the leaf's resemblance to the shape of a bear's paw.

Latin: ekhinos = sea urchin, hedgehog; referring to the prickly spines of this species.

Carl Thunberg, the Swedish botanist and botanical explorer in South Africa first records this plant in 1772 under the name Platdoring (Afrik: doring = thorn) and mentions it to be a nuisance to bare-footed people "especially the slaves, who are frequently wounded by it"!

The much thickened root contains an aromatic balsam which was used medicinally at the Cape towards the end of the 17th century.