Lotus goetzei Harms

Perennial; rootstock massive, woody; stems prostrate, ascending or bushy, up to 3 mm. in diameter, and up to 1(–2) m. in height, the epidermis a dark purple or blackish-red when dry, often obscured by dense white or slightly fulvous spreading hairs up to 1 mm. long; internodes on the side branches often very short (under 5 mm.).. Leaves very variable in size, on old stunted shoots ± 4 mm. overall, including a rhachis of 1 mm., on young vigorous shoots up to 27 mm., including a rhachis of 6 mm.; rhachis nearly always less than half as long as basal leaflets, these usually quite different in shape from the apical leaflets, usually asymmetrically oblong with the midrib running diagonally from corner to corner, basal angle commonly 70°–80°; apical leaflets cuneate-obovate, 1·5–2·5 times as long as wide; indumentum on leaves variable, but ± spreading hairs, up to ± 1 mm. long, are usually frequent, at least on the margins and lower midrib, sometimes very sparse on the lamina.. Umbels 1–6-flowered; peduncle pubescent, 0·5–4 cm., rarely up to 8 cm. long.. Bract nearly always 3-foliolate, the parts ± oblong; pedicels densely pubescent, 1–1·5 mm. long.. Calyx reddish, ± pubescent with spreading hairs, the tube ± 2 mm. long below the insertion of the stamens, ± 3 mm. above; teeth triangular-acuminate, ± 3 mm. long.. Corolla white, with purplish, red or pink markings; standard emarginate, ± 9 by 5 mm.; wings ± 11 mm. long including a claw of 4 mm.. Filament-sheath ± 5 mm. long, sometimes papillose near the base, free parts 2 and 3 mm. long.. Ovary ± 7 mm. long, ± 26-ovulate; style slightly curved upwards, ± 4 mm. long.. Fruit up to 2·5 cm. long but often shorter, ± 16-or fewer seeded.. Fig. 146/1–12, p. 1046.