Aspalathus acanthophylla Eckl. & Zeyh.

An ascending to erect shrub 0.3-0.9 m tall, greatly resembling both A. spinosa and A. glabrata but with white-pubescent foliage and calyx and more woolly pistil and pod. The following features differ to a varying degree from the species mentioned. Young branches short-villous or partly glabrescent. Leaflets 1.5-6 mm long, 0.6-0.9 mm broad, slightly flattened to subterete, covered with short, grey pubescence. Flowers usually solitary, in centre of 'leaf fascicles'. Bract emerging on middle part of the pedicel, linear, 0.5-1.2 x ±0.2 mm, puberulous. Pedicel 0.8-2(-2.5) mm long, white-pubescent. Bracteoles similar to the bract, 0.5-1.2 mm long. Calyx tube rather broad, short-tomentose; lobes broadly subulate, (0.8-)1.2-2.2 mm long, acute, green, partly puberulous. Petals lemon-yellow, rarely partly dark red. Standard blade 7.1-8.5(-9) x 6.3-8 mm, glabrous, except on the base. Wing blades elongate, 6.5-8.5 x 2-2.5 mm, glabrous, with only a few, lamella-like folds on the base; and with part of the upper margin strongly incurved (as in most forms of A. spinosa. Keel blades lunate, 5.6-6.8 x 3.3-4.2 mm, obtuse, glabrous, apically upcurved and with concave upper margin; basal pouch prominent. Pistil with ovary, style base and upper side of basal half of style woolly; ovules 2. Pod triangular-lanceolate, 8.5-12 x 4-5.2 mm, hard, woolly on most parts.