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Ramis spinosis, foliis 6-12-jugis, foliolis oblongis utrinque obtusis glabris subtus discoloribus, petiolis paniculisque subterminalibus velutinis, leguminibus obtusis inferne attenuatis. Spinae inferne solitariae validae haud raro folio uno alterove imperfecto vestitae, superne saepe binae ad ramulorum latera graciliores, ut, nisi inferiores defenderent, pro stipulis commutatis habere posses. Foliola 3-4 lineas longa, 1.5-2 lata, media infimis summisque paulo majora. Legumina basi acuta, apice obtusa, ad semina parum rugosa.
Scandent shrub, with ± spine-tipped branches. Leaves 40-80 mm long. Leaflets 10-16 on either side of rachis, sparsely hairy when young, but soon glabrescent. Stipules small, fugaceous, leaving a prominent scar. Inflorescences prolifically developed panicles on leafy branches; 30-80 mm long, many-flowered. Flowers whitish to cream-coloured. Calyx 2.0-2.5 mm long. Petals 3-4 mm long; wings nearly as long as standard, fragrant. Flowering time Oct., Nov. Pod elliptic-oblong to oblong, narrowed at either end; 1-or 2-seeded.
Robust climber, scrambling shrub or liane to 8 m high, with woody spines (modified shoots) on the stem, briefly deciduous; side branches often becoming hooked or coiling and woody tendril-like toward the apex (but these, and the spines, often absent in herbarium material); spines robust up to c.10 cm long, usually in clusters ± encircling the stem, or single and 2–4 cm long on branches, or rarely spines absent.
Leaves up to 6(8) cm long; petiole 3–6 mm long, rachis 3–6 cm long; petiolules 0.5–0.8 mm long; leaflets 8–16(20) on each side of the rachis, 4–10 × 2–4 mm, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, rounded and sometimes emarginate at the apex, rounded at the base, dull blue-green on upper surface, paler with darker reticulation beneath; stipules caducous.
Standard 3.5–4 mm long, broadly obovate, emarginate or retuse, claw c.0.5 mm long; wings slightly shorter than the standard, oblong-obovate, auricle rounded, claw c.0.8 mm long; keel petals broader than the wings, dorsally slightly connate or free, auricle obtuse, claw c.1 mm long.
Inflorescence of corymbose axillary and terminal congested panicles 1.5–3(10) cm long, minutely fulvous-puberulous; bracts and bracteoles 0.5–0.8 mm long, ovate, present at anthesis.
Pod 1–3-seeded, flat, 3–5.5 × 1–1.5 cm, thin and stiff, glabrous, slightly thickened, blackish-brown and reticulate over the seeds; stipe 6–9 mm long.
Calyx 2–2.5 mm long, sparsely puberulous; upper teeth shallow and rounded, the lateral ones obtuse, the lower one c.1 mm long, triangular-acute.
Ovary 2–4-ovulate, puberulous on the midrib and suture; style glabrous; stipe c.1.5 mm long, puberulous.
Stamens 9, in 1–2 bundles, the upper one free or absent.
Flowers white, 3.5–4.5 mm long; pedicels 0.5–1 mm long.
Young parts minutely fulvous-puberulous, soon glabrous.
Seed 7–8 × 5–6 mm, rather thin; testa blackish-brown.
