An erect or ascending shrub, usually 0.2-1(-2) m tall, sparingly to densely branched, with rigid, spreading main branches, each of them generally with several to numerous, 3-15 mm long, ± recurved, leafless, glabrous lateral branch thorns. Main branches generally weak and leafy, rarely ending in thorns. Transitions between recurved short branch thorns, and straight branch thorns a few to several internodes long, found in forms of subsp. spinosa as well as in subsp. flavispina where the latter prevail. Axillary branch thorns basally developed as short-shoots; leaflets therefore in fascicles at the bases of the lateral thorns. Leaflets linear or spathulate, terete, slightly flattened or pronouncedly flat, 2.5-20 mm long, 0.4-1(-4) mm broad, obtuse or acute, weak, glabrous or sparsely (rarely rather densely) puberulous, bright green to greyish green or almost glaucous. Inflorescences unifloral or bifloral, situated in the leaf fascicles at the base of the lateral thorns. Bract emerging on the pedicel, tooth-like to subulate, (0.1-)0.3-1.1 mm long. Pedicel (0.5-)1.2-3 mm long, puberulous. Bracteoles similar to the bract, 0.1-0.7 mm long. Calyx tube glabrous or usually with sparse appressed pubescence; lobes from short-triangular to broadly subulate, 0.2-1.5(-2.5) mm long, green, glabrous (or partly puberulous), acute or subacute. Petals yellow or sometimes partly red or purplish, generally ± stiff and rigid. Standard blade 4.5-8.6 x 3.5-7.5 mm, glabrous on most parts, with some pubescence on the base and often sparse hairs along the midrib of the back; apex ± incurved, usually acute. Wing blades linear, 4-7.5 x 1.2-2.1 mm, glabrous, with 1-2 rows of (usually very few) minute folds on the base, part of upper margin below the middle generally incurved; claws ciliate near upper blade base. Keel (3-)4-6.5 x 2.1-4 mm, obtuse to subacute, glabrous, generally with somewhat concave upper margin. Pistil sericeous at least on upper (to lateral) parts of the ovary and on the style; ovules 2. Pod triangular-lanceolate, 7.5-10.5 x 3-5 mm, sericeous(-woolly) on part of the sides.
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Thorny shrub, 0.2-1.3(-2.0) m high; rigidly spreading main branches, all lateral branches armed with recurved, leafless, glabrous thorns. Leaflets subacute, in fascicles at bases of lateral thorns, linear or spathulate, terete or flat, 2.5-20.0 x 0.4-1.0(-4.0) mm, glabrous or sparsely puberulous, bright to greyish green. Inflorescences 1 or 2 in thorn axils of leaf fascicles (distributed laterally on branches). Flowers yellow, partly red or purplish. Calyx: tube sparsely appressed-pubescent; lobes reduced, short triangular to widely subulate, green, glabrous, acute. Flowering time Aug.-Mar. Pod triangular-lanceolate, sericeous-woolly on parts.
Thorny shrub to 2 m, thorns lateral, ± recurved and leafless. Leaves 3-foliolate, leaflets terete to oblong, slightly flattened, weak, glabrous or sparsely hairy. Flowers 1 or 2 in thorn axils, yellow, partly red or purplish, wings and keel glabrous, calyx usually adpressed-hairy, lobes shortly triangular to broadly awl-shaped.
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