Aspalathus rubens Thunb.

A rather loosely (to densely) branched, procumbent (rarely prostrate) or decumbent shrublet, not reaching more than ±0.25 m above the ground but with branches up to ±0.8 m long or more. Young branches and branchlets ascending, minutely tomentose or puberulous. Leaflets linear, (1-)1.5-5 mm long, 0.3-0.5 mm thick, subterete, straight or slightly incurved, acute, glabrous, glabrescent or very often densely silvery sericeous. Bract minute, oblong or linear, 0.5-1.2 x 0.2-0.3 mm, pointed, ± puberulous. Pedicel 0.3-1.0(-1.3) mm long. Bracteoles 0.3-1.0(-1.3) mm long. Calyx tube short-tomentose; lobes linear or subulate (0.6-)0.8-2(-2.5) mm long, acute, often subterete, slightly incurved, glabrous or puberulous on most parts. Petals varying from yellow or orange to red or dark red; when dry then ferruginous or dark red (hence the epithet 'rubens'). Standard blade broadly ovate, elliptic or obovate, (3.6-)4-6.5(-7.3) x (2.5-)3-5.5 mm, apically subacute and slightly incurved, sericeous on the back and glabrous on the front. Wing blades oblanceolate-oblong, (3.3-)3.8-5.5(-6) x 1.3-2(-2.4) mm, apically rounded, basal parts short-tomentose or sericeous; basal upper parts with ±3 longitudinal rows of small folds. Keel blades 3-5 x 2-3.2 mm, with clearly convex upper margin, sericeous at least on the lower parts, sometimes only slightly, sometimes on most parts. Pistil pubescent on upper half or more of the ovary and on upper parts of style base; ovules 2. Pod triangular-lanceolate, (6.5-)8-12.4 x (3-)3.6-6 mm, brown or almost black, sparsely short-sericeous on most parts.