Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs from Moora S to Boyup Brook and also around Mt Lesueur, W.A. If the locality of Vasse R. given on the Molloy syntype is correct then the subspecies was more widespread than contemporary collections indicate.

Description

Shrub 0.2–0.6 m high, occasionally prostrate. Branchlets finely and often sparsely appressed-puberulous with retrorse or sometimes antrorse hairs, rarely glabrous. Pinnae mostly 2 pairs, usually 2–5 mm long (proximal pinnae) and 4–10 mm long (distal pinnae); rachis usually 2–3 mm long; pinnules usually 2 or 3 pairs, narrowly oblong, usually 3–6 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, flat, glaucous, glabrous; gland on petiole, absent from rachis. Peduncles with indumentum as on branchlets. Petals glabrous. Pods sparsely appressed-puberulous.

Habitat

Grows in often lateritic loam or clay, usually in Wandoo (Eucalyptus wandoo) woodland and, near Mt Lesueur, in heath.

Specimens

W.A.: Western Australia, J.Drummond 315 (G, K, MEL, OXF, P, PERTH); Darling Ra., L.Preiss 901 (C, FI, G-DC, GOET, HBG, K, L, LUND, M, MEL, MO, NY, P, PERTH, STR).

Notes

Prostrate variants occur in a few places (e.g. between York and The Lakes Roadhouse, J.Seabrook, PERTH00776009) and these are sometimes sympatric with the typical variant. Specimens from the Mt Lesueur area have larger than normal leaves, viz. proximal pinnae 5–10 mm long, distal pinnae 10–15 mm long, rachis 3–5 mm long, pinnules 2–4 pairs, 5–12 mm long (e.g. R.J.Hnatiuk 770780, PERTH).

FOA Reference

Data derived from Flora of Australia Volumes 11A (2001), 11B (2001) and 12 (1998), products of ABRS, ©Commonwealth of Australia

Author

B.R.Maslin