Erect shrub or tree up to c. 10 m. tall, with trunk up to 20 cm. diam. Branchlets much-flattened, finely grooved, (4)-6-7 mm. wide, glab. or nearly so. Lvs on young plants glab., (1)-5-7-foliolate; lflts obcordate-to obovate-cuneate, up to 15 × 12 mm. Infl. of 1-3 racemes, 8-12-fld, on pubescent peduncles up to c. 10 mm. long. Fls c. 4 × 3 mm., on pedicels ± 1 mm. long. Calyx 1·5-2 × 1·5-2 mm., glab.; teeth broad-triangular. Standard, keel and wings white, purple-veined and -flushed; auricles rounded or bluntly pointed. Ovary glab. Pods black, subturgid, obliquely oblong, c. 8-10 × 4-5 mm.; beak 1-2 mm. long, subulate. Seeds (1)-2-(3), orange-red, ± black-mottled, c. 2-3 × 1-2 mm.

Shrub up to c. 5 dm. tall, main branches procumbent, secondary ascending; branchlets ascending, much-compressed, ± 5-10 cm. × (1)-2-(3) mm., glab. Lvs 3-5-foliolate; lflts obcordate, 3-5 mm. long. Infl. of 1-3 racemes per notch, subumbellately 3-5-fld on ± pilose peduncles 3-5 mm. long. Fls ± 5 × 4 mm. on pilose pedicels c. 1 mm. long. Calyx glab., c. 2 mm. long; teeth triangular, blunt. "Standard dark purple at the centre and upper margin, heavily striped on the outer lobes; keel whitish, dull purple at the tip, auricles rounded; wings whitish, faintly striped at the tip, auricles pointed." Ovary glab. Pods obliquely elliptic-oblong, ± 10-12-(15) × 3-4 mm., slightly compressed, very dark brown to black; beak straight, stiff, c. 2 mm. long. Seeds 2-4, dark red, heavily black-mottled.

Shrub up to 3 m. tall, with spreading branches. Branchlets much-compressed, glab., 2-4 mm. wide. Lvs on young plants (1)-3-5-foliolate; lflts obcordate, c. 5 × 5 mm. Infl. of 1-3 racemes per notch on ± pilose peduncles c. 10 mm. long, (3)-5-(7)-fld. Fls ± 4 mm. long, on pubescent pedicels c. 1 mm. long. Calyx c. 1 × 1 mm., sparsely hairy; teeth minute, triangular. Standard flushed and veined with purple; keel white, purple-flushed at apex, auricles rounded; wings white, auricles bluntly pointed. Ovary glab. Pods ± compressed, about oblong to suborbicular, (7)-9-10 × (3)-4-5 mm., black; beak rather stout to slender, c. 2 mm. long. Seeds 1-2, orange-red, sts ± black-mottled.

Erect shrub up to c. 2 m. tall, us. less; branchlets strict, erect to ascending, close-set, glab. or nearly so, finely grooved, much-compressed, ± plano-convex, (1)-2-(3) mm. wide. Lvs 3-5-foliolate, lflts up to 8 × 5 mm., obcordate to obovate, sparsely hairy. Infl. of (1)-2-(3) ascending racemes per notch, (3)-5-(7)-fld, on glab. peduncles up to 10 mm. long. Fls c. 4 × 3 mm., on glab. pedicels ± 2 mm. long. Calyx c. 1·5 × 1·5 mm., glab.; teeth minute, broad-triangular, acute. Standard white, purple-flushed, with basal dark purple blotch; keel greenish, auricles rounded; wings white, veins purple, auricles rounded. Ovary glab. Pods obliquely oblong, 9-11 × 4-6 mm., black, slightly compressed; beak stout, subulate, 1-2 mm. long. Seeds c. 4, orange-red, c. 2 mm. diam.

Much-branched glab. shrub 1-2-(3) m. tall, branches slender; young branches and branchlets drooping; branchlets c. 1 mm. diam., plano-convex, striate. Lvs ± 3-foliolate; lflts 2-3 mm. diam., subsessile, obcordate-cuneate, ± pilose below. Infl. of 2-4 racemes per notch, subumbellately (3)-5-(7)-fld, on peduncles hardly > 2 mm. long. Fls c. 4 × 3 mm. or less, on pedicels ± 1 mm. long. Calyx c. 1 mm. long; teeth minute. Standard flushed purple and purple-veined, auricles pointed; wings > keel. Ovary glab. Pods ± compressed, obliquely suborbicular, c. 5 mm. diam., dark brown; beak stout, straight, abruptly narrowed to acute apex, obliquely placed, ± 2 mm. long. Seeds (1)-2, red, ± black-mottled.

Habit similar; racemes with 2-6 pods. Pods (6)-9-(10) × c. 3 mm., subcompressed, subfalcate, obliquely narrow-ovate, tapering to straight beak ± 2 mm. long. Seeds 2, c. 2 × 1 mm., greenish yellow to reddish, heavily black-mottled.

Habit similar; racemes with pilose peduncles and pedicels; pods rather light to dark brown, broad-oblong to suborbicular, 6-7-(8) mm. long.

Erect shrub up to 2 m. tall, us. less, with spreading branches; branchlets subfastigiate, striate, 1-2 mm. diam., glab., plano-convex. Lvs (1)-3-(5)-foliolate; lflts obcordate-cuneate, sinus shallow to rather deep. Infl. us. cop. of (3)-5-(10)-fld, congested racemes on pubescent peduncles 2-3 mm. long. Fls ± 5 × 4 mm., on pubescent pedicels ± 1 mm. long. Calyx c. 1 × 1 mm., glab.; teeth minute, ciliolate. Standard broad, slightly > keel, dark purple at base, purple-veined; wings white, ± = keel, purple-veined, auricles rounded; keel whitish, purple-veined, auricles rounded. Ovary glab. Pods (6)-8-(10) × (3)-4-5 mm., compressed, ± ovate-oblong, sts slightly curved, brown to almost black; beak 1-2 mm., straight, ± obliquely placed. Seeds (1)-2-4-(6), pale yellow, ± heavily black-mottled.

Erect shrub up to 2 m. tall, with spreading branches; branchlets 1-(2) mm. diam., somewhat compressed, glab. or nearly so, finely grooved. Lvs 1-3-foliolate; lflts narrow-cuneate, shallowly notched, lobes rounded. Infl. of (1)-3-5-fld racemes on ± pilose peduncles c. 4 mm. long. Fls up to 5 × 3 mm. on ± pilose pedicels c. 1 mm. long. Calyx ± 2 × 2 mm., ± pilose towards base; teeth minute, bluntly triangular. Standard purple-flushed and -veined; keel whitish, auricles bluntly pointed; wings white, auricles pointed. Ovary glab. Pods obliquely broad-ovate to suborbicular; (5)-6 × (3)-4 mm., subcompressed, dark brown; beak subfalcate, obliquely placed c. 1·5 mm. long. Seeds us. 2, ± 2 mm. diam., pale to deep yellowish green, us. heavily black-mottled. (Plants otherwise similar sts have seeds with reddish ground-colour).

Shrub up to c. 1 m. tall; branches stout, spreading; branchlets spreading, stiff, ± 2-3 mm. wide, plano-convex, grooved, glab. to ± pilose. Lvs 3-5-(7)-foliolate; lflts subsessile, obcordate-cuneate. Racemes 1-3 per notch, 4-6-fld, on pilose peduncles up to 15 mm. long. Fls ± 4 × 3 mm., on slender pilose to pubescent pedicels c. 2 mm. long. Calyx ± 2 × 1 mm., glab. or nearly so; teeth minute, narrow-triangular, ciliolate. Standard dark purplish red, lobes red-veined; keel ± 1 mm. long, whitish, purplish at apex, auricles bluntly pointed; wings white, purplish at apex, auricles bluntly pointed. Ovary glab. Pods 8-10 × 3-4 mm., obliquely elliptic-oblong (some pods may be ± arcuate), slightly compressed, very dark brown to black; beak c. 1 mm. long, rather stout. Seeds 2-4, quite black to yellow-green and very heavily black-mottled.

Shrub up to 2 m. tall, us. less; branches spreading; branchlets rather stout, plano-convex to subterete, finely grooved, pubescent at apex when young, 1-2-(3) mm. diam. Lvs 1-3-5-foliolate; lflts 1-3 mm. long, obcordate. Racemes 1-3 per notch, laxly to rather closely 3-8-fld, on pubescent peduncles up to 10 mm. long. Fls ± 5 × 4 mm., on pedicels 1-2 mm. long. Calyx c. 2 × 2 mm., pubescent; teeth minute, acute. Standard dark purple, purple-veined; wings whitish, enclosing keel, auricles bluntly pointed; keel whitish, auricles rounded. Ovary glab. Pods obliquely elliptic-oblong, (6)-7-10 × 3-4 mm., ± turgid, pale to dark brown (occ. pods are ± curved); beak ± 1 mm. long. Seeds (3)-4-8, yellowish, ± black-mottled, c. 2 mm. diam.

Shrub or tree up to 10 m. tall. Branchlets 3-5 mm. wide, much-compressed, finely grooved, glab. or nearly so. Infl. of solitary, simple or branched racemes on peduncles ± 5 mm. long, 5-10-fld. Fls 4-5 mm. long on pilose pedicels c. 2 mm. long or more; "standard with a purple base, elsewhere striped". Calyx campanulate, c. 2 × 2 mm.; teeth narrow-triangular, sharply pointed. Pods 15-17 × 5-6 mm., narrow-ovate, subturgid, black; beak stout, c. 2 mm. long, slightly curved. Seeds 4-8, orange-red, sparingly black-mottled, ± 2 × 1·5 mm.

"Habitat: Low coastal forest and forest margins. Type specimens No. 324 ex the author's herbarium, from a plant in cultivation collected at Whakatane by Miss L. B. Moore, in the Herbarium Plant Research Bureau, Wellington."

Shrub up to c. 1 m. tall, with spreading grooved branches; branchlets plano-convex, finely grooved, 1-3 mm. wide. Lvs 1-3-5-foliolate; lflts ± pilose, 1-4 mm. long, obcordate. Racemes 1-4 per notch, 3-8-fld, on pubescent peduncles up to 5 mm. long. Fls 4-5 mm. long, on pubescent pedicels hardly 1 mm. long. Calyx 1·5-2 × 1·5-2 mm., campanulate, sparsely pubescent; teeth minute, obtuse to subacute. Standard white, with purple basal blotch and veins; wings white, purple-veined, auricles bluntly pointed; keel white, auricles small, rounded. Ovary ± pubescent. Pods 6-8-10 × 3-4 mm., slightly compressed, sparsely hairy when young, dark brown to black; beak stout, subulate, ± 1·5 mm. long. Seeds 2-6, palish- to olive-green, heavily black-mottled to completely black, ± 2 mm. diam.

2n = 30, 40

n = 15

Shrub, 2-3(-8) × 2-3(- 5) m. Branches up to 100 mm diameter, ascending and spreading. Cladodes 30—200 × 1.5—8 mm, ascending or spreading, linear, striate, weakly planoconvex to strongly flattened and compressed, green, yellow-green, or brown-green, glabrous to sparsely hairy, apex obtuse to subacute; leaf nodes 4—15. Leaves 1—3-foliolate, present on seedlings and rarely on adults, terminal leaflet larger; lamina 3—12(—22) × 1.3—7(—16) mm, obovate to oblong, fleshy, green, sometimes with dark mottling, adaxiai and abaxial surfaces glabrous to moderately hairy, apex emarginate, base cuneate; petiole 1-10 mm long, glabrous to moderately hairy, green; petiolule < 0.25 mm long, glabrous or sparsely hairy, light green. Leaves on cladodes reduced to scales, < 0.5 mm long, broad-triangular, glabrous, apex subacute, margin hairy. Stipules c. 1 × c. 1.5 mm, free, broad-triangular, adaxiai surface glabrous, abaxial surface glabrous or with few scattered hairs and becoming glabrous with age, apex subacute, margin hairy. Inflorescence a raceme, 1-3 per node, each with 4-15 flowers. Peduncle 1-10 mm long, glabrous to moderately hairy, green, occasionally flushed red. Bracts < c. 0.5 mm long, triangular, glabrous, apex acute, margin hairy. Pedicel 2—4 mm long, glabrous to sparsely hairy, pale green. Bracteoles on upper part of pedicel or lower part of receptacle, lanceolate, glabrous, green and often flushed red, apex subacute, margin hairy. Calyx 1.3- 1.7 × 1.7—2.2 mm, campanulate, green, outer surface glabrous to moderately hairy. Calyx lobes 0.2— 0.4 mm long, triangular, inner surface glabrous, appressed to corolla or rarely weakly spreading, apex acute. Standard 4—6 × 5—6.5 mm, obovate, patent, positioned in central part of keel, keeled, apex retuse; inner surface white, sometimes with a purple blotch, purple-veined; outer surface white, green at base, purple-veined; claw c. 1 mm long, pale green. Wings 4—5 × 1.7—2.2 mm, oblong, longer than keel, apex obtuse; inner and outer surfaces white, purpleveined; auricle rounded, white; claw c. 1.5 mm long, pale green. Keel (Fig. 2B) 3.2-4.2 × c. 1.5 mm, apex obtuse; distal part of inner and outer surfaces purple, proximal part white; auricle < 0.5 mm long, rounded, pale green; claw c. 1.5 mm long, pale green. Stamens 3—4 mm long; dorsal filaments connate for c. ¾ of length, outer stamens free for c. 0.5 mm. Pistil c. 4 mm long, exserted beyond the stamens, glabrous; ovules 5-10. Pods 6.5-15 × 2— 5.5 mm, oblong, broad-oblong, elliptic, broad-elliptic, or sometimes orbicular, laterally compressed, erect or spreading, brown, grey, or black, valves dehiscent; beak 0.5—2.5 mm long, in a central apical position, stout, pungent-tipped. Seeds 2.2-4 × 1.7-2.8 mm, oblong to reniform, 1-5 per pod, orange, red, green, or yellow-green and often with black mottling, usually persistent on replum. FL Oct-Feb, FT Nov-May.