Dwarf robust shrub 5-15 cm. tall, with close-set erect branches and branchlets arising from stout stock ± 1 cm. diam., forming hard patches up to ± 2 dm. diam. Branchlets c. 2-4 mm. wide, much-compressed, slightly plano-convex, rigid, grooved, obtuse to subacute at apex. Infl. of solitary or paired lax racemes, 2-5-fld, on slender pilose peduncles. Fls 6-10 × 4-6 mm., on subfiliform pilose pedicels ± 5 mm. long. Calyx c. 3 × 2 mm., appressed-hairy, teeth triangular, acute; standard white, purple-veined, with purple basal blotch; keel ± = standard, c. 3 mm. wide, auricles rounded; wings ± 1 × 1 mm., whitish with basal greenish blotch, auricles rounded. Ovary glab. Pods ± 15 × 4 mm., very dark brown to black, ± wrinkled, subfalcate; beak ± 1 mm., stout, slightly curved. Seeds 8-12, ± 2 mm. diam., yellowish, black-mottled.

Branchlets ± 4 mm. wide, flattened; peduncles, pedicels and calyx densely hairy; calyx-teeth blunt. Standard ± = wings, colour brighter; keel c. 2 mm. longer than standard.

2n = 32

2n = 32

Dwarf, spreading shrub, up to 0.15(-0.25) × 0.4(-l) m broad. Branches stout, ascending and horizontal, 10-35 mm diameter. Cladodes linear, striate, compressed, erect to spreading, green to green-bronze, often hairy when young, glabrous at maturity, 22-40(-75) × (2-)3-5(-6) mm; apex obtuse, yellow, green, bronze, or red; leaf nodes 2-4. Leaves simple, oblanceolate, fleshy, green to green-bronze, present on seedlings and occasionally mature plants, 5-8 × 2-4.5 mm; adaxial and abaxial surfaces with scattered hairs; apex emarginate to retuse; base cuneate; petiole glabrous or sparsely hairy, 1.5-2 mm long. Leaves on cladodes reduced to a scale, broadly triangular, glabrous, 0.5-0.6 × 0.9-1.1 mm; apex obtuse. Stipules free, broad-triangular, 0.25-0.4 × 0.75-0.9 mm; adaxial surface glabrous; abaxial surface hairy, becoming glabrous with age; apex subacute; margin hairy. Inflorescence a raceme, 1-2 per node, each with (1-)2-3 flowers. Peduncle hairy, green, 6-8 mm long. Bracts triangular, glabrous, pale green to tan, < 0.5 mm long; apex acute; margin hairy. Pedicel hairy, pale green, 3-4 mm long. Bracteoles at base of calyx, sometimes absent, glabrous, < 0.4 mm long; apex subacute; margin hairy. Calyx campanulate, 2.5-3 × c. 2 mm; inner surface glabrous, green; outer surface hairy, green. Calyx lobes triangular, green and often flushed red, < 1 mm long; outer surface densely hairy; apex acute, often black; margin hairy. Standard obovate, patent when young, reflexed at maturity, positioned at proximal area of keel, keeled, 6-7 × 5-6 mm; distal and central areas of adaxial surface purple, proximal area pale green, margins white, sometimes purple-veined; distal and central area of abaxial surface white, proximal area pale green, sometimes purple-veined; apex retuse; margins recurved; claw pale green, c. 3 mm long. Wings oblong, shorter than keel, 7-8 × c. 2 mm; distal and central areas of adaxial surface purple, proximal area green; distal and central areas of abaxial surface white, proximal area pale green; auricle triangular, pale green, apex subacute, c. 1 mm long; claw pale green, c. 2 mm long. Keel (Fig. 1C) 8.5-10 × 3 - 4 mm; distal and central areas of adaxial surface purple, proximal area pale green; auricle triangular, pale green, with subacute apex, c. 1.5 mm long; claw pale green, 3-3.5 mm long. Stamens 8.5-10 mm long; lower filaments connate for c. 2/3 length and outside filaments free for 2.5-3.5 mm. Pistil slightly exserted beyond stamens, 8.5-11 mm long; style bearded on upper surface; ovary weakly falcate, glabrous; ovules 11-12. Pod oblong or oblanceolate, laterally compressed, often weakly falcate, brown, dark brown, or black, usually indehiscent, 11-15 × 3.5-5.5 mm; beak on adaxial suture, stout, pungent, < 1 mm long. Seeds oblong-reniform, (3—)7—11 per pod, dull yellow or orange, brown-green, or olive green, often with black mottling, 2-2.5 × 1.5-2 mm. FL Nov-Jan, FT Dec-May.