Aspalathus calcarata Harv.

An ascending or decumbent shrublet, 0.15-0.4 m tall, with spreading branches, reddish and short-sericeous on the young parts. Leaves of long-shoots with a woody, tubercular leaf base produced into a spreading spur or spine up to 1 mm long or more. Leaflets linear, terete, 2-9 mm long, very slightly curved, acute, non-pungent, dull green, with sparse ad-pressed hairs. Flowers small, solitary on short-shoots, distributed in spike-like fashion on the branch ends. Bracts and bracteoles small, triangular-subulate, 0.3-0.6 mm and 0.2-0.3 mm long respectively. Pedicel 0.8-1.3 mm long, sericeous. Calyx sericeous; lobes linear-subulate, 1.7-2.7 mm long, acute, with scattered adpressed hairs. Petals from yellow to ferruginous or deep red; with short claws. Standard broadly ovate, 5.2-6 x 5.5-6 mm, short-sericeous on the back; base of inside densely tomentose. Wing blades rhombic-ovate, short, 1.4-2.2 x 1.2-1.9 mm; glabrous except some marginal pubescence on the base. Keel blades rostrate, ±4.5-5.5 x 2.5-3 mm, glabrous except basally on the margins and claw; with ± distinct lateral puckering. Pistil: ovary sericeous above and laterally, glabrous below; ovules 2; stigma subcapitate or slightly forwardly directed. Pod triangular-lanceolate, 8-8.5 x 3.2-3.8 mm, with slightly upcurved (beak-like) apex.