Aspalathus cymbiformis Dc.

A decumbent to ascending (-erect), sparingly to rather densely branched shrub, 0.15-0.4 m tall. Young branches densely short-villous or tomentose. Leaflets linear, 1.5-4(-6) mm long, acute or obtuse, subterete, angular, or slightly flattened, greyish to bright green, glabrous, sparingly patent-pubescent or grey-tomentulose, flexible or rather rigid, without prominent hair base tubercles. Inflorescences uni-or bifloral, on branch tips or sometimes on lateral short-shoots. Flowers medium-sized. Bract simple (or rarely trifoliolate), linear, 1.5-4.5 x 0.3-0.9 mm, slightly flat or subterete, with pale base, otherwise green, obtuse or subobtuse. Pedicel 0.5-1.5 mm long, pubescent. Bracteoles similar to the bract, (2-)2.5-4.5(-6) x 0.4-0.8 mm. Calyx tube pale, tomentose; lobes generally spoon-shaped, apically green, wide, rounded, convex, 3-5(-6) mm long, but sometimes linear-oblanceolate, and subacute and only slightly convex; generally with sparse spreading hairs. Petals usually bright yellow, often with violet shades on the back of the standard. Standard blade broadly obovate, (6.5-)7-9(-10.5) x (6.5-)7.5-10(-11) mm, with or without an apical 'tip', short-sericeous or tomentose on the back. Wing blades narrowly obovate, 4-6(-6.5) x 2-3.2 mm. Keel blades lunate, 5.5-7.2 x 3-4 mm, glabrous, with almost straight upper margin; apex sometimes slightly extended forwards. Wing and keel claws rather short, usually attached at the base to the staminal sheath. Pistil: ovary pubescent. Pod ovate, 4.5-6.5 x 3.1-4 mm, smooth, tomentose.