Gymnosporia is an Old World genus of plants that comprise subshrubs, shrubs and trees. It was formerly considered congeneric with Maytenus, but more recent investigations separated it based on the presence of achyblasts (truncated branchlets) and spines, alternate leaves or fascicles of leaves, an inflorescence that forms a dichasium, mostly unisexual flowers, and fruit forming a dehiscent capsule, with an aril on the seed. The genus occurs in all of Africa, Madagascar and adjacent islands, southern Spain, the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, southern China, Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands, Malesia, and in Queensland, Australia. In the Afrotropical region the two main centers of diversity are in the south and the northeast.

Gymnosporia senegalensis commonly known as Red Spike-thorn, Confetti Tree, Confetti Spikethorn or Confetti Thorn in English and Rooi Pendoring, Blou Pendoring or Pendoring in Afrikaans forms a shrub or small multi-stemmed tree. It can be unarmed or armed with strong, straight spines. The young branches are distinctly red. The leaves are blue-green and spirally arranged, sometimes in fascicles on the spines, and oblong to obovate. They are often notched at the apex with the margins crenate-dentate. The flowers are sweetly scented. The fruit is a 2-lobed capsule which turns pinkish to reddish-brown when ripe.