Phyllota barbata Benth.

Scientific Description

Erect, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, not spiny, glabrous; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, simple, alternate, not continuous with stem, 4-12 mm long, 0.8-1 mm wide, hairy, with simple hairs, revolute; margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands present. Stipules apparently absent even from the youngest leaves or present and persistent to older leaves. Pedicel present, 0.5-1 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent. Calyx 5-6 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 12-13 mm long, multicoloured, mostly yellow, red or brown, with some yellow, red or brown spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 10.5-12 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 8-9 mm long, not auriculate, keel 11-12.5 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 1.4-1.5 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments free (or united at the very base), 7-10 mm long. Ovary sessile or subsessile, hairy or glandular; style 12-14 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), sessile or subsessile, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in January, February, March, April and July. Occurs in the South-West Botanical Province, in the Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest, Warren and Esperance IBRA regions.