The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for reducing the memory required to store bind variable descriptors in a database system. In embodiments of the invention, bind variable descriptors continue to be maintained in the shared cursor objects, but bind variables are no longer maintained in the instantiation objects. If the bind variables associated with an instantiation object are accurately described by the bind variable descriptors in a shared object to which the instantiation object is linked, then only data indicating the bind variables associated with the instantiation object are accurately described is maintained in the instantiation object. In contrast, if the bind variable descriptors associated with an instantiation object are not accurately described, only data describing how the attributes of the bind variables associated with the instantiation object differ from those associated with the shared cursor object are maintained in the instantiation object.