Maytenus tenuispina is a Southern African shrub or small tree of about 2m in height and one of about 120 species of Maytenus belonging to the family Celastraceae. Endemic to South Africa and eastern Botswana, it is common on rocky outcrops, dip slopes and bushveld, and armed with slender spines of about 25mm long. Leaves are alternate or densely clustered in tufts, elliptic to almost linear, margins irregularly and finely serrate, apex frequently notched.