Aspalathus aemula E.Mey.

An erect, sparingly branched shrub (0.6-)1-2.5 m tall, with straight rod-like branches. Young branches white-tomentose. Leaves of long-shoots with one large (middle) leaflet, the lateral ones rudimentary or lacking, rarely as large as the middle one. Axillary short-shoots developed early in axils of long-shoot leaves, their leaves with much shorter leaflets. Long-shoot leaves with central leaflet lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, tapering at both ends, 6-12 x 2-5 mm, acute, weak and flexible, with only midvein distinct, silvery sericeous becoming partly glabrous and green. Inflorescence pyramidal to ovate, with 20-40 flowers. Bract flat, linear-lanceolate, 4.5-9 x 0.3-1 mm, weak, sericeous. Pedicel ±1 mm long or less, white-sericeous. Bracteoles filiform, 4-8 mm long, sericeous. Calyx lanate; lobes linear, 3.5-6.5 mm long, flexible. Petals light yellow, partly turning brownish, with lanate or villous, rather than sericeous pubescence. Standard blade ovate, 7.5-9 x 6.5 mm, tomentose on the back. Wing blades oblong or very narrowly elliptic, ±7 x 2.7 mm, with several rows of minute folds on basal half; villous to tomentose on lower-apical two-thirds. Keel blades lunate, 5.5-7 x 3-4.5 mm, with slightly concave upper margin, villous on lower two-thirds. Pistil long-pubescent on ovary and basal third of style; ovules 3. Pods not seen.