Cullen cinereum (Lindl.) J.W.Grimes

Scientific Description

Erect, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like) or herb. Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands present. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, compound, alternate, continuous with stem, 50-90 mm long, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire or dentate; tubercles absent, pinnately arranged, terminal leaflet present, stalked; pustules or glands present. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves, 4 mm long, without glands, ribless. Pedicel present or absent (flowers sessile), 0.5 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles absent. Calyx 5-6 mm long, accrescent (enlarged in fruit), hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands present. Corolla 6.5-7.3 mm long, multicoloured, mostly pink, purple or blue, with some pink, purple or blue spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 5-6 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 5-6 mm long, auriculate, keel 4.5-5 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen, 3.5-4.2 mm long. Ovary stipitate, glabrous; style 4.2-6 mm long, glabrous, not bearded, terete. Fruit indehiscent and splitting into sections (schizocarps), stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in April and May. Occurs in the Northern, Eremaean and South-West Botanical Province, in the Pilbara, Carnarvon, Gascoyne, Little Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, Yalgoo, Murchison, Central Kimberley, Ord-Victorian-Plain, Dampierland, Coolgardie, Nullarbor, Geraldton Sandplains and Avon Wheatbelt IBRA regions.