Description: Woody shrubs; stems terete.
Leaves opposite, alternate or in whorls of 3 or more, simple, margins recurved or revolute; stipules absent.
Flowers axillary, solitary or in clusters or rarely in short, terminal racemes; pedicels short; bracts small, ovate, caducous; bracteoles absent. Calyx 5-toothed, the upper 2 broader and ± united into an upper lip. Petals long-clawed; standard ± circular, apex slightly emarginate, longer than the other petals; wings narrow-oblong; keel incurved. Stamens free; anthers dorsifixed. Ovary villous, shortly stipitate; ovules 2, on short, straight funicles; style filiform with a small simple terminal stigma.
Pod ovate or obovate, flat or turgid, usually hairy, 2-valved; seeds 2, reniform, without an aril.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 15 species, endemic Australia. Australia: all States except N.T.
Text by B. Wiecek
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Branches often spinescent; pedicels with more or less sparse, short, curved hairs, not obscuring the surface | Aotus subspinescens |
| Branches not spinescent; pedicels with dense, often long, spreading to appressed hairs, obscuring the surface | 2 |
| 2 | Stems with long, soft, spreading hairs and densely tomentose; flowers yellow, 8–15 mm long; apex of leaves acute | Aotus lanigera |
| Stems without long, soft, spreading hairs; flowers yellow with red or purple markings, 5–10 mm long; apex of leaves obtuse to occasionally acute
Back to 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Stems densely velvety-tomentose; upper surface of at least young leaves, pubescent | Aotus mollis |
| Stems not velvety-tomentose; upper surface of leaves mostly glabrous or with scattered, long hairs
Back to 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Stems with white, appressed, silky hairs; flowers with standard yellow with a large purple blotch and keel red-purple; leaves narrow-linear to lanceolate, 1–3 mm wide | Aotus subglauca |
| Stems with a variable but close, often rusty pubescence; flowers with standard yellow with a reddish or orange blotch and keel yellow; leaves variable, 1–5 mm wide
Back to 3 | Aotus ericoides |
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