Sphaerolobium linophyllum (Huegel) Benth.

Scientific Description

Twining or climbing plants. Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, simple, alternate, continuous with stem, 8-22 mm long, 0.7-1.2 mm wide, glabrous, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules apparently absent even from the youngest leaves. Pedicel present, 4.5-5 mm long, glabrous. Bracteoles present and persistent. Calyx 7.5-10 mm long, not accrescent, glabrous, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 11.5-15.5 mm long, multicoloured, mostly yellow or red, with some yellow or red spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 9-12.5 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 7.6-10.5 mm long, not auriculate, keel 6-9 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.5 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments free (or united at the very base), 4-4.5 mm long. Ovary stipitate, hairy or glandular; style 10-12 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, bearded (with a tuft of hairs at apex), terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 8-8.5 mm long, 4.5 mm wide, stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in January, February, 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.