Aspalathus is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. The yellow flowers and spiny habit of some species have suggested a resemblance to Ulex europaeus, the thorny “English gorse” Accordingly “Cape Gorse” has been proposed as a common name although the resemblance is largely superficial; for instance, gorse is thorny, whereas Aspalathus species are variously spiny or unarmed. The genus belongs to the sub family Faboideae. There are over 270 species, mainly endemic to south-eastern fynbos regions in South Africa, with over fifty occurring on the Cape Peninsula alone. The species Aspalathus linearis is commercially important, being farmed as the source of Rooibos tea.

Aspalathus argyrella is a South African endemic species from the Western Cape Province where it can be found from the Southern Cederberg to the Cape Peninsula and Kleinrivier Mountains near Hermanus. It is a prostrate mat-forming shrublet with three-foliate leaves. During spring it bears pale mauve flowers in terminal heads.