M. Thulin (1993) Zygophyllaceae. Zygophyllum 1: 183-184
Plants dwarf shrubs, to 30 cm tall, spreading; young parts white tomentose. Leaves petiolate, with 2 leaflets; petioles oblong, fleshy, usually longer than the leaflets; stipules membanous, triangular; leaflets cylindrical, fleshy, about 4-6 mm long and 2 mm thick. Flowers solitary, axillary, subsessile; sepals ovate, about 4 mm long; petals white with obovate blades, longer than the sepals; filament scales ovate, acute; ovaries tomentose; styles about 1 mm long. Capsules subglobose, about 4 mm in diameter,slightly 5-angled.
Tetraena somalensis grows in semi-desert scrub an on gypseous flats at 60-550m. It is only known from regions N2 and C1 of the Flora of Somalia.