Aspalathus astroites L.

An erect, densely branched shrub 0.8-1.3 m tall. Young branches densely white-tomentose. Leaflets subulate-acicular, 6-15 mm long, straight, rigid, ± angular to subterete, glabrous or sparingly tomentose, ending in a sharp, up to more than 2 mm long spine. Inflorescence a terminal head-like umbel of (1-)3-6 flowers; additional 1-to few-flowered inflorescences may be present below the main inflorescence. Bract (1.5-)2.5-5.5 mm long, spine-tipped, basally sparsely pubescent. Pedicel 2-3.5 mm long, densely tomentose. Bracteoles 1.2-5 mm long. Calyx tube campanulate, sparsely short-tomentose; lobes 2.2-4(-4.8) mm long, glabrous, sharply spine-tipped. Standard blade 9-11 x 6.5-10 mm, with short apical cusp. Wing blades 7.5-10.5 x 3-4 mm, basally with ±3 rows of minute folds, few in each row. Keel blade rostrate, 8-9.5 mm long, 3.3-4.5 mm broad near middle, with a tapering upcurved apex and a strongly concave upper margin. Pistil: style curved. Pod (9.5-)12-14.5 x 3.5-4.8 mm, subglabrous, slightly (longitudinally) rugose, yellowish brown when ripe.