Small trees, shrubs or subshrubs; dense indumentum on many parts, the hairs simple, sometimes biramate; branchlets ± terete, rarely spinescent. Leaves alternate, simple, petiolate; stipules small, free, rarely absent. Inflorescences axillary, solitary or umbels of 2–7 flowers, rarely racemose, arrangement sometimes altered by auxotelic growth. Flowers pedicellate, bracteate, bracteoles at or near base of calyx. Calyx densely hairy externally, upper lobes largest, somewhat connate. Corolla mauve to blue, rarely white, standard longest. Stamens all fused, forming an open sheath, rarely vexillary stamen free, anthers alternately long and basifixed, short and versatile. Ovary mostly 2-ovulate. Pod ± orbicular to broad-elliptic in profile, turgid. Seed mostly plump, aril surrounding a mostly elongate hilum.
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