Distinguished from other Eriosema spp. by its silver sericeous young leaflets and large connate incurved stipules. Perennial, ascending herb or dwarf shrub, with horizontal rhizome, stems sparsely covered in short appressed gold-coloured hairs. Leaves either simple, heart-shaped and up to 200 mm long (KZN) or trifoliolate. Leaflets smaller, elliptic (EC); young ones densely sericeous; lower surface of adult leaves glabrescent with pilose veins. Flowers orange-yellow; ± 15 mm long. Calyx pilose; lobes ± as long as tube. Corolla: wings orange; keel green-yellow and pink. Flowering time Oct., Nov. Seeds: plants rarely set seed because flowers abscise rapidly after opening.