Aspalathus

Aspalathus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. The yellow flowers and spiny habit of some species have suggested a resemblance to Ulex europaeus, the thorny "English gorse" Accordingly, "Cape Gorse" has been proposed as a common name although the resemblance is largely superficial; for instance, gorse is thorny, whereas Aspalathus species are variously spiny or unarmed. The genus belongs to the subfamily Faboideae. There are over 270 species, mainly endemic to southwestern fynbos regions in South Africa, with over fifty occurring on the Cape Peninsula alone. The species Aspalathus linearis is commercially important, being farmed as the source of Rooibos tea.

Aspalathus species generally are shrubs or sometimes shrublets. They are normally bushy, however some species can grow sprawling or upright with branches that stand on their own. The flowers of most species are plentiful in season, a rich, showy yellow very common in the Western Cape mountains in particular. The flowers of some yellow-flowering species (such as Aspalathus cordata) turn bright red as they fade. Some species, such as Aspalathus forbesii have white or cream flowers, and others, such as Aspalathus costulata and Aspalathus cordata have flowers in various shades ranging from pink to pale violet, whereas Aspalathus nigra commonly has slate-blue flowers.

Aspalathus leaves are sessile and are simple in some species, but trifoliate in others. They commonly are fascicled. In some species they bear hard, sharp, spines at their tips. There are no stipules.

Aspalathus species may be grouped into four categories for purposes of rough identification in the field. One group has undivided leaves, never tufted. This includes Rooibos, Aspalathus linearis with its needle-like leaves, and Aspalathus cordata with its stiff, neatly cordate leaves with their aggressively spiny tips, are typical examples. Another group has leaflets sharp, stiff, and acicular. Examples include Aspalathus astroites and Aspalathus chenopoda.

A third group has cylindrical, fleshy leaves, not spiny, for example Aspalathus capitata and Aspalathus pinguis, while members of the fourth group, such as Aspalathus aspalathoides and Aspalathus securifolia have more or less flat leaflets.

The fruit of Aspalathus is a pod, and in the majority of species the ovary has two ovules that yield only one seed per pod. However, some pods are several-seeded.

Various species of Aspalathus have been used in traditional medicines and as "bush teas", including Aspalathus tenuifolia, but it is difficult to know which sources to trust, because many specific names have been changed or confused in the past. Also, many uses were very local, and there was a good deal of confusion between different species, even sometimes with similar genera, such as Cyclopia, some species of which yield honeybush tea.

Species Aspalathus comprises the following species:

Aspalathus abietina Thunb. Aspalathus acanthes Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus acanthiloba R. Dahlgren Aspalathus acanthoclada R. Dahlgren Aspalathus acanthophylla Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus acicularis E. Mey. subsp. acicularis E. Mey. subsp. planifolia R. Dahlgren Aspalathus acidota R. Dahlgren Aspalathus acifera R. Dahlgren Aspalathus aciloba R. Dahlgren Aspalathus aciphylla Harv. Aspalathus aculeata Thunb. Aspalathus acuminata Lam. subsp. acuminata Lam. subsp. pungens (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus acutiflora R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus albens L. Aspalathus alopecurus Benth. Aspalathus alpestris (Benth.) R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus altissima R. Dahlgren Aspalathus angustifolia (Lam.) R. Dahlgren subsp. angustifolia (Lam.) R. Dahlgren subsp. robusta (E. Phillips) R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus araneosa L.

Aspalathus arenaria R. Dahlgren Aspalathus argentea L.

Aspalathus argyrella MacOwan Aspalathus argyrophanes R. Dahlgren Aspalathus arida E. Mey. Aspalathus aristata Compton Aspalathus aristifolia R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus aspalathoides (L.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus asparagoides L. f. subsp. asparagoides L. f. subsp. rubrofusca (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus astroites L. Aspalathus attenuata R. Dahlgren Aspalathus aurantiaca R. Dahlgren Aspalathus barbata (Lam.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus barbigera R. Dahlgren Aspalathus batodes Eckl. & Zeyh.

Aspalathus bidouwensis R. Dahlgren Aspalathus biflora E. Mey. Aspalathus bodkinii Bolus Aspalathus borbonifolia R. Dahlgren Aspalathus bowieana (Benth.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus bracteata Thunb.

Aspalathus burchelliana Benth.

Aspalathus caespitosa R. Dahlgren Aspalathus calcarata Harv. Aspalathus calcarea R. Dahlgren Aspalathus callosa L. Aspalathus campestris R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus candicans W.T. Aiton Aspalathus candidula R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus capensis (Walp.) R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus capitata L.

Aspalathus carnosa Bergius Aspalathus cephalotes Thunb. subsp. cephalotes Thunb. subsp. obscuriflora R. Dahlgren subsp. violacea R. Dahlgren Aspalathus cerrantha Eckl. & Zeyh.

Aspalathus chenopoda L. Aspalathus chortophila Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus chrysantha R. Dahlgren Aspalathus ciliaris L.

Aspalathus cinerascens E. Mey. Aspalathus citrina R. Dahlgren Aspalathus cliffortiifolia R. Dahlgren Aspalathus cliffortioides BolusSome sources treat Aspalathus cliffortioides as a synonym of Aspalathus spicata. Aspalathus collina Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus commutata (Vogel) R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus compacta R. Dahlgren Aspalathus complicata (Benth.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus comptonii R. Dahlgren Aspalathus concava Bolus Aspalathus concavifolia (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus condensata R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus confusa R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus cordata (L.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus cordicarpa (L.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus corniculata R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus corrudifolia Bergius

Aspalathus costulata Benth. Aspalathus crassisepala R. Dahlgren Aspalathus crenata (L.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus cuspidata R. Dahlgren Aspalathus cymbiformis DC. Aspalathus cytisoides Lam. Aspalathus dasyantha Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus decora R. Dahlgren Aspalathus densifolia Benth. Aspalathus desertorum Bolus Aspalathus dianthophora E. Phillips Aspalathus diffusa Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus digitifolia R. Dahlgren Aspalathus divaricata Thunb. subsp. divaricata Thunb. subsp. gracilior R. Dahlgren Aspalathus dunsdoniana R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus elliptica (E. Phillips) R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus ericifolia L. subsp. ericifolia L. subsp. minuta R. Dahlgren subsp. pusilla R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus erythrodes Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus esterhuyseniae R. Dahlgren Aspalathus excelsa R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus fasciculata (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus ferox Harv.

Aspalathus filicaulis Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus flexuosa Thunb. Aspalathus florifera R. Dahlgren Aspalathus florulenta R. Dahlgren Aspalathus forbesii Harv.

Aspalathus fourcadei L. Bolus Aspalathus frankenioides DC. Aspalathus fusca Thunb. Aspalathus galeata E. Mey.

Aspalathus gerrardii Bolus Aspalathus glabrata R. Dahlgren Aspalathus glabrescens R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus globosa Andrews Aspalathus globulosa E. Mey. Aspalathus glossoides R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus grandiflora Benth. Aspalathus granulata R. Dahlgren Aspalathus grobleri R. Dahlgren Aspalathus heterophylla L. f. Aspalathus hirta E. Mey. subsp. hirta E. Mey. subsp. stellaris R. Dahlgren Aspalathus hispida Thunb. subsp. albiflora (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren subsp. hispida Thunb. Aspalathus humilis Bolus Aspalathus hypnoides R. Dahlgren Aspalathus hystrix L. f. Aspalathus incana R. Dahlgren Aspalathus incompta Thunb. Aspalathus incurva Thunb. Aspalathus incurvifolia Walp.

Aspalathus inops Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus intermedia Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus intervallaris Bolus Aspalathus intricata Compton

Aspalathus joubertiana Eckl. & Zeyh.

Aspalathus juniperina Thunb.

Aspalathus karrooensis R. Dahlgren Aspalathus kougaensis (Garab. ex R. Dahlgren) R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus lactea Thunb. subsp. breviloba R. Dahlgren subsp. lactea Thunb. Aspalathus laeta Bolus Aspalathus lamarckiana R. Dahlgren Aspalathus lanata E. Mey. Aspalathus lanceicarpa R. Dahlgren Aspalathus lanceifolia R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus lanifera R. Dahlgren Aspalathus laricifolia Bergius subsp. canescens (L.) R. Dahlgren subsp. laricifolia Bergius Aspalathus latifolia Bolus Aspalathus leiantha (E. Phillips) R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus lenticula Bolus

Aspalathus leptoptera Bolus

Aspalathus leucophylla R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus linearis (Burm. f.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus linguiloba R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus longifolia Benth. Aspalathus longipes Harv. Aspalathus lotiflora R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus macrantha Harv. Aspalathus macrocarpa Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus marginalis Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus marginata Harv.

Aspalathus microphylla DC.

Aspalathus millefolia R. Dahlgren Aspalathus monosperma (DC.) R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus mundiana Eckl. & Zeyh.

Aspalathus muraltioides Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus myrtillifolia Benth. Aspalathus neglecta T. M. SalterSome sources treat Aspalathus neglecta as a synonym of Aspalathus spicata.

Aspalathus nigra L.

Aspalathus nivea Thunb. Aspalathus nudiflora Harv. Aspalathus obliqua R. Dahlgren Aspalathus oblongifolia R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus obtusifolia R. Dahlgren Aspalathus odontoloba R. Dahlgren Aspalathus oliveri R. Dahlgren Aspalathus opaca Eckl. & Zeyh. subsp. opaca Eckl. & Zeyh. subsp. pappeana (Harv.) R. Dahlgren subsp. rostriloba R. Dahlgren Aspalathus orbiculata Benth.

Aspalathus pachyloba Benth. subsp. macroclada R. Dahlgren subsp. pachyloba Benth. subsp. rugulicarpa R. Dahlgren subsp. villicaulis R. Dahlgren Aspalathus pallescens Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus pallidiflora R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus parviflora Bergius Aspalathus patens R. Dahlgren Aspalathus pedicellata Harv. Aspalathus pedunculata Houtt.

Aspalathus pendula R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus perfoliata (Lam.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus perforata (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus pigmentosa R. Dahlgren Aspalathus pilantha R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus pinea Thunb. Aspalathus pinguis Thunb.

Aspalathus polycephala E. Mey. Aspalathus potbergensis R. Dahlgren Aspalathus proboscidea R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus prostrata Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus psoraleoides (C. Presl) Benth.

Aspalathus pulicifolia R. Dahlgren Aspalathus pumila R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus pycnantha R. Dahlgren Aspalathus quadrata L. Bolus Aspalathus quinquefolia L. subsp. compacta R. Dahlgren subsp. quinquefolia L. subsp. virgata (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren Aspalathus radiata R. Dahlgren Aspalathus ramosissima R. Dahlgren Aspalathus ramulosa E. Mey. Aspalathus rectistyla R. Dahlgren Aspalathus recurva Benth. Aspalathus recurvispina R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus repens R. Dahlgren Aspalathus retroflexa L. subsp. bicolor (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren subsp. retroflexa L.

Aspalathus rigidifolia R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus rosea R. Dahlgren Aspalathus rostrata Benth. Aspalathus rostripetala R. Dahlgren Aspalathus rubens Thunb.

Aspalathus rubiginosa R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus rugosa Thunb. Aspalathus rupestris R. Dahlgren Aspalathus rycroftii R. Dahlgren Aspalathus salicifolia R. Dahlgren Aspalathus salteri L. Bolus Aspalathus sanguinea Thunb.

Aspalathus sceptrum-aureum R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus secunda E. Mey. Aspalathus securifolia Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus sericea Bergius Aspalathus serpens R. Dahlgren Aspalathus setacea Eckl. & Zeyh.

Aspalathus simii Bolus

Aspalathus smithii R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus spectabilis R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus spicata Thunb. Aspalathus spiculata R. Dahlgren Aspalathus spinescens Thunb. subsp. lepida (E. Mey.) R. Dahlgren subsp. spinescens Thunb. Aspalathus spinosa L. subsp. flavispina (C. Presl ex Benth.) R. Dahlgren subsp. glauca (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren subsp. spinosa L. Aspalathus spinosissima R. Dahlgren

Aspalathus stenophylla Eckl. & Zeyh. Aspalathus steudeliana Brongn.