Gastrolobium bilobum R.Br.
Heart Leaf Poison

Scientific Description

Erect, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, not spiny, glabrous; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, simple, opposite or whorled, continuous with stem, 20-60 mm long, 4-17 mm wide, glabrous, flat with flat margins; margins entire or lobed; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves. Pedicel present, 5-7.5 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present but early deciduous. Calyx 4-4.7 mm long, not accrescent, hairy or glabrous, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 8.5-11 mm long, multicoloured, mostly yellow or orange, with some yellow or orange spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 7.5-10 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 5.5-10 mm long, auriculate, keel 7-9 mm long, not beaked, auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.6-0.7 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments free (or united at the very base), 5-8.5 mm long. Ovary stipitate, hairy or glandular; style 8-10.5 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, hairy, with simple hairs, not beaked. Flowers in August, September, October, November and December. Occurs in the South-West Botanical Province, in the Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Warren, Esperance and Swan Coastal Plain IBRA regions.