Aspalathus asparagoides L.F.

A low, diffusely branched or erect or ascending, rather spreading shrub or shrublet usually less than 0.5 m, but up to more than 1 m tall, sparingly or rather densely branched. Young branches short-villous. Leaflets variable, linear or subfiliform, (3-)4-10(-12) mm long, slender, subterete or ± angular, acute to acuminate, often ferruginous or red when dry; varying from flexible, incurved and provided with spreading hairs from ± prominent hair base tubercles to rather rigid, straight and subglabrous or sparsely puberulous. Flowers few to several along the branches. Bract subulate or filiform, 3-6 mm long. Pedicel short, less than 1 mm long, tomentose. Bracteoles 3-6 mm long. Calyx tube tomentose; lobes linear(-filiform), 4-8 mm long, ± weak, straight or slightly incurved, acuminate(-acicular), glabrous or with spreading hairs from ± distinct hair base tubercles. Petals ± yellow in early stage, turning ferruginous or dark red. Standard blade obovate-circular, 5.5-8 x 5-8 mm, with an apical, weak, narrow, slightly incurved 'tip' 0.5-2.1 mm long (not included in standard blade length). Wing blades narrowly elliptic-oblong, (3.5-)4-6(-7) x 1.3-2 mm. Keel blades lunate-triangular, 4.7-7.8 x 2.5-3.5 mm, obtuse, glabrous or pubescent on lower front parts. Pistil pubescent on the upper parts, glabrous below, style base pubescent above. Pod ovate, 4.5-6 x 3-3.5 mm, pubescent at least on apical parts.