Aspalathus hystrix leaves and flowers

The leaves of Aspalathus hystrix resemble those of A. hirta, trifoliolate and rigidly spine-tipped, growing in tufts or clusters. They differ in the silvery to whitish hair covering on A. hystrix leaflets. The needle-like leaflets are straight or slightly incurving.

The yellow flowers grow solitary among the leaves. The wide calyces are densely soft-haired, their triangular lobes ending in needle-like tips. The banner petal is biggest, densely pale-haired on its outside and longer than the hairless keel. In the photo there are two brown markings low down on each banner that is folded or seamed down its centre. The less notable wing petals flank the keel. The ovary bears two ovules.

Flowering happens from late winter through spring.

The fruit pod or legume is obliquely lance-shaped and densely woolly (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; JSTOR; iNaturalist).