Erect shrub 3–5(–10) m tall; stems pubescent or glabrous. Leaves crowded, 3–5 cm long; leaflets 7–9, more or less terete, 35–40 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, channelled above, upper surface glabrous or glabrescent, lower surface bristly and gland-dotted, apices acute, margins entire; petiole 4–5 mm long; stipules lanceolate, shorter than petiole, partially fused. Flowers 1–3 in axils towards ends of stems; pedicels 11–35 mm long; cupulum to c. 5 mm long, 2-lobed; bracts ovate, 2–3 mm long; calyx campanulate, 6–8 mm long, densely hirsute, mainly black-haired, sometimes a few white hairs present also, gland-dotted, teeth equal, subequal to calyx tube; corolla c. 15 mm long, purplish; standard very broadly ovate, deep blue to purple; wings slightly shorter than standard, mauve; keel 10–11 mm long, white or very pale blue. Pod 4–5 mm long, included in calyx, rough-textured, black; seed 3–4.5 mm long, dark brown. Flowers mostly Sept.–Dec.
VVP, OtP, EGL. Also naturalised WA, NSW, Tas. Grown for ornament, but apparently less commonly than P. pinnata, and has naturalised to some extent near Marlo and perhaps in some Melbourne suburbs.
