Euphorbia buruana is a perennial succulent spiny shrublets with a large tuberous pseudo caudex, i.e., "fat root" that produces a tuft of three-winged succulent branches variegated with attractive decurrent streaks of yellowish-green in a pattern reminiscent of marble giving the stems a stretched appearance. It is monoecious having both male (center portion) and female (sides) parts on the same cyathia.