Aspalathus marginalis Eckl. & Zeyh.

A procumbent or decumbent, rarely almost prostrate, shrublet with branches up to 1 m long or longer; lateral branchlets generally rather short, ascending, brown or reddish, puberulous. Leaflets 3-20 together, linear-subulate, (1-)2-5 mm long, 0.3-0.7 mm thick, succulent, subterete, straight or often slightly recurved, glabrous, rigid, mucronulate to spine-tipped (prickly). Inflorescences small dense groups (heads) of 2-4(-6) flowers, emerging close together on the branchlet tips, closely subtended by the uppermost vegetative leaf. Bract tooth-like to linear-subulate, 0.5-2(-2.8) mm long, subterete, glabrous on abaxial parts, with acute-mucronulate, sometimes recurved apex. Pedicel almost lacking. Bracteoles similar to the bract, 0.4-1.4(-2.2) mm long. Calyx tube campanulate, 1.5-1.8 mm long, subglabrous to short-pubescent, often partly purple, with 5(-10) ± prominent longitudinal ridges; lobes linear-subulate, (1.4-)1.7-3.2 mm long, subterete, green, carnose, glabrous, acuminate to sharply mucronulate, generally recurved. Petals light yellow or often ± violet or rose on standard back and keel bottom, glabrous or subglabrous, with short claws. Standard blade ovate, 4.6-6 x 3.3-5 mm, glabrous or with some basal pubescence, rigid, with a green, carnose, mucronate, 0.2-1 mm long, apex. Wing blades oblong, often broadest apically, 2.7-4(-5) x 0.9-1.6 mm, glabrous, with ±4 rows of minute folds on basal half. Keel blades lunate, 3.3-4.4(-4.8) x 2-3 mm, apical-upper part squarish. Pistil pubescent on upper edge of ovary and basal half of style; ovules 2. Pod triangular-ovate, (4.5-)5-8.5 x 2.7-4.8 mm, laterally compressed, smooth, hairy along the upper suture, otherwise glabrous or with very sparse and appressed hairs.