Lotus australis Andrews
Austral Trefoil

Scientific Description

Erect, herb. Stems terete or winged, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, compound, alternate, not continuous with stem, 20-60 mm long, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent, leaflets 5, pinnately arranged, terminal leaflet present, stalked; pustules or glands absent. Stipules apparently absent even from the youngest leaves or present but early deciduous ( only visible on youngest leaves ). Pedicel present, 2-2.5 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent. Calyx 8-9 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 13-15 mm long, multicoloured, mostly pink, red or purple, with some pink, red or purple spots, streaks or blotches; standard 12-13.5 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 11.5-12 mm long, auriculate, keel 12-14.5 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.5-0.6 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen, 10-12 mm long. Ovary sessile or subsessile, glabrous; style 14-14.2 mm long, glabrous, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 35-50 mm long, 3-3.5 mm wide, sessile or subsessile, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in March, May, June, July, August, September and October. Occurs in the Northern, Eremaean and South-West Botanical Province, in the Pilbara, Carnarvon, Yalgoo, Murchison, Central Kimberley, Ord-Victorian-Plain, Tanami and Geraldton Sandplains IBRA regions.