Aspalathus batodes Eckl. & Zeyh.

Erect, ascending, procumbent or prostrate, from low and matted up to 0.5 m tall shrub or shrublet, with rigid or (in prostrate forms) slack branches. Young stems white-villous. Leaflets 3-±15 together, linear or subulate, 2-8 mm long, 0.6-1 mm thick, succulent, subterete, light green, glabrous, abruptly or gradually tapering into an apical mucro or sharp spinelet. Inflorescences unifloral or densely 2 or 3-flow-ered, on branch or branchlet tips. Bract subulate-lanceolate, 2-6.5 x 0.3-0.8 mm, spine-tipped, trigonous, subglabrous. Pedicel almost lacking. Bracteoles 2.5-6 mm long. Calyx externally glabrous; the tube with 5 (or 10) longitudinal ridges continuing into the midveins of the lobes; lobes subulate or linear, 3-8 mm long, succulent, green, glabrous, spine-tipped. Petals light or bright yellow, sometimes partly reddish, rigid, glabrous (except for some basal pubescence on standard inside), with short claws. Standard blade broadly ovate, 5-8.3 x 4.1-6.8 mm, the sides incurved, the apex produced into a pointed (not carnose) cusp. Wing blades linear-oblong or oblanceolate, 4.1-6.4 x 1.3-2.5 mm, apically rounded, basally with several rows of minute folds. Keel blades strongly angular, upcurved, 3.7-5.7 x 2-3.4 mm, upper-apical part squarish, upper margin S-curved, basal part with inconspicuous puckering. Pistil only slightly pubescent on the upper side of the ovary (and sometimes of the style base); ovules 2. Pod triangular-ovate, apically attenuate and slightly upcurved, 5.5-7 x 3.3-3.5 mm, subglabrous, smooth.