Perennial herb, glabrous, except sometimes the peduncle; stems prostrate, rooting at the nodes; roots all fibrous, no taproot or other fleshy root.. Free part of stipules shorter than the base, broadly ovate, abruptly narrowed to a short acuminate tip; free part of petiole well developed; leaflets elliptic-oblong or obcordate, cuneate at the base, retuse or truncate at the apex, up to 17 by 12 mm., the teeth rather wide, usually without subulate tips; main nerves 8–9 on each side at ± 40° to the midrib.. Inflorescences 20–30-flowered, ± globose, 16–20 mm. across; peduncle usually more than twice as long as subtending petiole, glabrous or sparsely pilose near the top; bracts papery, up to 1 mm. long; pedicels up to 2 mm. long, not reflexed in fruit.. Calyx-tube white, papery, ± 2 mm. long, 11–13-nerved, some of the commissural nerves often dividing low down; teeth 2–3 mm. long, narrowly triangular with scarious margins for about half their length, the tips alone subulate.. Corolla deep purple; standard 8–9 mm. long; blade of the wing curved upward, ± sickle-shaped, with an auricle over 0·5 mm. long.. Stamens 5–6 mm. long.. Ovary glabrous, 2(rarely 3 or 4)-ovulate.. Pod up to 5·5 by 2 mm.. Seeds 2, rarely 3, brown, irregularly flattened, ovate, ± 1·6 by 1·1 mm.; hilum at the end.
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