Aspalathus quadrata L.Bolus

A low, sparingly branched, spreading shrublet with up to 0.6 m long branches emerging from a short vertical common rootstock (up to 10 mm thick). Young branches puberulous. Leaves trifoliolate, with subequal leaflets; those on long-shoots with a rather prominent but not spur-like leaf base, soon with axillary short-shoots. Leaflets ± flat, oblong or lanceolate, 1.5-5 x 0.5-1 mm, obtuse, short-sericeous, margins often involute. Inflorescence unifloral, on lateral short-shoots, several distributed along the branch ends. Bract flat, oblong, ±2.5 x 0.5-1 mm, similar to the leaflets of the vegetative leaves. Pedicel very short. Bracteoles linear, ±2 x 0.3 mm long, puberulous. Calyx cylindrical-campanulate, short-sericeous(-tomentulose); lobes rounded-ovate to almost quadrangular, obtuse or retuse, 1-2 mm long, sericeous. Petals light yellow, with claws about as long as the blades. Standard blade rectangular-elliptic, ±5.5 x 4.5 mm, obtuse or retuse, sericeous on the back. Wing blades oblong, ±5 x 2 mm, with 0-5 rows of minute folds on basal half, sericeous on most of the outer side. Keel blades lunate, ±4.5 x 2.5 mm, with slightly convex upper margin, sericeous on most parts. Pistil sericeous on ovary and style base; ovules 2; style slender. Pods ± hidden in the calyx, triangular-ovate, ±3.5 x 2 mm, sericeous, one-seeded.