Prostrate much-branched summer-lfy shrub, forming mats up to c. 2 m. diam. Branchlets 1-2 mm. diam., compressed, sparsely hairy. Lvs 1-3-(5)-foliolate; lflts sessile, c. 4 × 3 mm., obcordate, pilose. Racemes 1-3 per notch, densely 2-7-fld, on peduncles ± 4 mm. long. Fls c. 5 × 5 mm., on pedicels ± 3 mm. long. Calyx c. 2 × 2 mm.; teeth minute. Standard purple-veined; keel whitish, auricles rounded; wings white, purple-flushed towards apex, auricles rounded. Ovary glab. Pods obliquely oblong, 7-8 × 3-4 mm., dark brown, slightly compressed; beak 1-2 mm. long, slender. Seeds 2-4, yellowish green, black-mottled.

2n = 32

Prostrate, occasionally decumbent, densely branched shrub, 25(-40) cm × 1-1.5(- 2) m. Branches 30-75(-100) cm long and up to 30 mm diameter, prostrate or weakly decumbent. Cladodes 50-100(-150) × 1—2 mm, prostrate, sometimes weakly ascending, linear, striate, compressed, Canterweakly plano-convex, light green to green-yellow, sparsely hairy to glabrous, apex subacute or obtuse; leaf nodes 7—11. Leaves 1—3-foliolate, present on seedlings and rarely on adults, terminal leaflet larger; lamina 2-5 × 1—2.5 mm, obovate, fleshy, green, adaxial and abaxial surfaces sparsely to moderately hairy, apex emarginate, base cuneate; petiole 1— 11 mm long, sparsely hairy, green; petiolule < 0.25 mm long, glabrous, light green. Leaves on cladodes reduced to scales, < 0.5 mm long, broadtriangular, glabrous, apex subacute, margin hairy. Stipules c. 0.5 × c. 0.5 mm, free, triangular, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface glabrous or with a few scattered hairs and becoming glabrous with age, apex acute, margin hairy. Inflorescence a raceme, 1— 2(-3) per node, each with (2—)5—7(—13) flowers. Peduncle 1-8.5 mm long, glabrous or sparsely 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, lanceolate, glabrous, green, occasionally flushed red, apex subacute, margin hairy. Calyx c. 1.5 × 1.8— 2 mm, campanulate, green, outer surface glabrous to sparsely hairy. Calyx lobes 0.2-0.3 mm long, triangular, inner surface glabrous, appressed to corolla, apex acute. Bud green or white. Standard 4—5 × 5— 6 mm, obovate, patent, positioned in central part of keel, keeled, apex refuse; inner surface with a purple blotch, white margins, purple-veined; outer surface white, green at base, purple-veined; claw c. 1 mm long, pale green. Wings 4-5 × 1.75-2 mm, oblong, longer than keel, apex obtuse; inner and outer surfaces white, and purple-veined; auricle rounded, white; claw c. 1.5 mm long, pale green. Keel (Fig. 2B) 3.5-4 × 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 - 3.75 mm long; dorsal filaments connate for 7/8 of length, outer stamens free for c. 0.5 mm. Pistil c. 4 mm long, exserted beyond the stamens, glabrous; ovules 5-8. Pods 8-12 × 3-4 mm, elliptic to broadoblong, laterally compressed, spreading, brown or grey, valves dehiscent; beak c. 1 mm long, in a central apical position, stout, pungent-tipped. Seeds c. 2 × c. 1.5 mm, reniform, 2—5 per pod, dark purple or black, usually persistent on replum. Chromosome number In = 32 (Dawson 1989). FL Oct-Jan, FT Dec-May.