Tephrosia apollinea

:Perennial, woody, leafy. Stems much-branched, erect, up to 70cm. Bush can be up to 100cm across, though mostly smaller, whole plant covered with fine white hairs. Leaves with 4-6 oblong leaflets plus one terminal, with prominent midrib and veins, oblong, mostly with pointed tip, sometimes notched, 0.6-1.8 x 1-4cm, widely spaced on central stem up to 8cm long. Flowers 3-30 in number, widely spaced on stalks up to 15cm long, terminal and from leaf nodes. Flowers each on short stalk, red-purple, upper petal greenish, pink or purple, velvety to hairy on outside. Pod 0.2 – 0.5 x 3.5 – 6cm, slightly curved towards short fine tip, flattened, with 5-9 seeds, slightly compressed between seeds, velvety. Inflorescence have flowers and pods in all stages of development mixed on the central stem. Seeds oblong, brown, 0.2 x 0.3cm. Flowering throughout the year, peak Jan. – May.