Perennial shrub, 30-40 cm tall, all parts brown or grey silky. Rachis spinescent, 2.5-5 cm long, leaflets 3, palmately arranged rarely 5 or 1, up to c. 2.5 cm long, 4-5 mm broad, linear or lanceolate, entire, tip spiny, densely pubescent on both sides; stipules amplexicaul, united, tips free, spinescent. Inflorescence an axillary peduncled head, peduncle 3-8 cm long. Flower sessile, surrounded by an involucre of spine-tipped bracts. Calyx 1.2-1.3 cm long, densely silky pubescent, teeth longer than the tube. Corolla red, not exserted. Vexillum and keel subequal, wings shorter. Fruit flat, oblong, membranous, indehiscent, 1-seeded, enclosed in calyx.

Fl.Per.: April-May.

Holotype: Mascat, Aucher-Eloy 4430 (G) Iso. (K).

Distribution: Pakistan; Afghanistan; Arabia, Persia.