Ononis spinosa

Erect or ascending perennial shrub 10–80 cm tall; stems armed with rigid spines, covered with a mixture of simple and glandular hairs. Leaves mostly trifoliolate; leaflets oblong or ovate, 5–15 mm long, 2–10 mm wide, both surfaces sparsely glandular-hairy, margins serrate, apices acute or obtuse; stipules c. 5 mm long, entire or toothed. Inflorescence 1(–2)-flowered; pedicels c. 2 mm long; calyx to c. 9 mm long, 5-veined, glandular-pubescent, teeth lanceolate, much longer than tube; corolla 6–20 mm long, pink or purple; standard orbicular; wings shorter than keel. Pod ovate, 6–10 mm long; seeds 1–2, reniform, c. 2 mm long, tuberculate, brown or blackish. Flowers mainly Oct.–Mar.