Aspalathus forbesii Harv.

Shrubs or shrublets 0.4-more than 2 m tall, often much branched. Branchlets densely short-tomentose. Leaflets 3-9 together (leaf, sometimes with an axillary short-shoot), sausage-shaped, 2-8 mm long, terete, subacute or obtuse, pale green, sparsely puberulous or glabrous. Inflorescence capitate, usually with 2-5 flowers. Bracts trifoliolate, or those associated with inner flowers sometimes trilobate or simple, 2.5-5 mm long. Flowers sessile, rather small. Bracteoles longer and narrower than bract, 5-8.5 mm long, puberulous. Calyx short-sericeous, lobes subulate-triangular, 4.5-7 mm long, green, with sparse, short hairs; upper two lobes separated by a slit deeper than those between other lobes. Petals white or cream-coloured, sometimes with pink shades on wings. Standard blade 6.5-8 x 4-5.3 mm, short-sericeous on the back. Wing blades 5.0-6.2 x 1.7-2.1 mm, glabrous or with few hairs. Keel blades 4-4.5 x 2-2.5 mm, glabrous. Pistil pubescent on upper part of ovary. Pod 5-6.5 x 3.8-4.3 mm.