Amphithalea ornata (Podalyrieae, Fabaceae), a rare new species from the Western Cape Province, South Africa

•The new species Amphithalea ornata is described.•This is a rare species of conservation concern from the Worcester area in the Western Cape Province.•The new species is illustrated and a key to its identification provided.

The new species, Amphithalea ornata, from the Worcester Valley in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, forms part of a group of four species with pedunculate inflorescences. Among these species it is most similar to Amphithalea spinosa but differs in its non-spinescent habit, shorter peduncles, and large, imbricate calyx lobes. A. ornata is restricted to the Breede River Valley where it occurs in Breede Shale Renosterveld at the southern foot of the Droëriviersberg, south of Worcester.