def __expand_subfeatures_aux (property_, dont_validate = False):
    """ Helper for expand_subfeatures.
        Given a feature and value, or just a value corresponding to an
        implicit feature, returns a property set consisting of all component
        subfeatures and their values. For example:

          expand_subfeatures <toolset>gcc-2.95.2-linux-x86
              -> <toolset>gcc <toolset-version>2.95.2 <toolset-os>linux <toolset-cpu>x86
          equivalent to:
              expand_subfeatures gcc-2.95.2-linux-x86

        feature:        The name of the feature, or empty if value corresponds to an implicit property
        value:          The value of the feature.
        dont_validate:  If True, no validation of value string will be done.
    """
    from . import property  # no __debug__ since Property is used elsewhere
    assert isinstance(property_, property.Property)
    assert isinstance(dont_validate, int)  # matches bools

    f = property_.feature
    v = property_.value
    if not dont_validate:
        validate_value_string(f, v)

    components = v.split ("-")

    v = components[0]

    result = [property.Property(f, components[0])]

    subvalues = components[1:]

    while len(subvalues) > 0:
        subvalue = subvalues [0]    # pop the head off of subvalues
        subvalues = subvalues [1:]

        subfeature = __find_implied_subfeature (f, subvalue, v)

        # If no subfeature was found, reconstitute the value string and use that
        if not subfeature:
            return [property.Property(f, '-'.join(components))]

        result.append(property.Property(subfeature, subvalue))

    return result