Aspalathus abietina Thunb.

An erect, ascending or decumbent shrublet, 0.1-0.6 m tall, sparingly or moderately densely branched. Young branches subglabrous or puberulous. Leaflets 3 or more ('fascicled') together, linear, (1.5-)3.5-20 mm long, straight or slightly curved, subterete or ± flattened and then 0.5-2 mm broad, glabrous or with sparse appressed hairs, ending in an often recurved spinelet or apicule. Flowers solitary on tips of branches or solitary on short-shoots or both, thus 'scattered' on the branches in considerable number. Bract 2-4(-5) mm long, subglabrous. Pedicel 1-2 mm long, short-tomentose. Bracteoles (2-)3-4.5(-5.5) mm long. Calyx tube glabrous (or with sparse appressed hairs); lobes 2.5-4.5(-6) mm long. Standard blade 7-11.5(-14) x 5.5-9 (-10) mm; apex incurved, sometimes with a 'tip'. Wing blades 5.3-8.5(-9.8) x 1.7-3.4 mm. Keel blades upcurved, somewhat rostrate but apex ± rounded; 5.7-9.5(-10.5) mm long, 2-3.5(-4) mm broad near middle, upper side weakly to strongly concave. Pod lanceolate, 10-13 x ±3 mm, subglabrous, veiny rugose, light brown when ripe.