Small Purple-pea is a slender, erect perennial herb growing to 30 cm tall. The leaves are divided into up to six pairs of 10 mm long, very narrow leaflets, each with a pointed tip. There is also a single leaflet at the end of each divided leaf. It bears one to several sprays of between 10 and 20 purple, pea-shaped flowers, between late September and early December. Flowers are followed by pods up to 10 mm long in summer.