Aspalathus opaca Eckl. & Zeyh.

A decumbent, ascending or erect shrublet, 0.1-0.6 m tall, from sparsely to rather densely branched; branches often reddish, puberulous on the young parts. Leaf base tubercle sometimes (in subsp. pappeana) produced into a woody spur up to 1 mm long. Leaflets linear-subulate, 1-7 mm long, 0.5-0.8 mm thick, subterete, ± rigid, acute to apiculate, straight or slightly curved, glabrous or with scattered hairs. Flowers rather small, few to several along the branches. Bract 2-4.5(-5.5) x 0.4-0.8 mm, slightly flattened, ± ciliate on the margins. Pedicel less than 1 mm long, puberulous. Bracteoles longer but narrower than the bract, (2.5-)3-6(-6.5) mm long. Calyx tube short-tomentose; lobes triangular to lanceolate, 1.5-6(-7) mm long, acute or acuminate, sometimes incurved and beak-like, subglabrous or basally puberulous, with distinct midribs, sometimes developed as fleshy ridges. Petals bright yellow or brownish red. Standard blade obovate, 5.5-7.5(-8.5) x (5.5-)6-8 mm, short-pubescent on the back, with or without a less than 0.5 mm long apical 'tip'. Wing blades narrowly elliptic, (4-)4.5-6 x (1.5-)2-2.5(-3) mm. Keel blades lunate, (5-)5.5-7 x 2.5-3.5(-3.8) mm, obtuse, short-sericeous on lower apical parts (± one-tenth). Pistil pubescent on the ovary and on upper side of style base. Pod ovate, 4-6.5 x 2.5-3.5 mm, sparsely tomentose at least on apical parts.