Gastrolobium tetragonophyllum (E.Pritz.) Crisp

Scientific Description

Erect or prostrate,spreading or scrambling, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, simple, opposite, not continuous with stem, 8-15 mm long, 1.5-10 mm wide, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins or flat with recurved margins; margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves, 1-3 mm long, without glands, ribless. Pedicel present, 2.5 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present but early deciduous. Calyx 5.2-5.7 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 9-10 mm long, multicoloured, mostly pink, red, orange or purple, with some pink, red, orange or purple spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 9-9.2 mm long, glabrous, auriculate, wings 6.5-8 mm long, auriculate, keel 6-8 mm long, not beaked, auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.4-0.7 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments free (or united at the very base), 4.5-6.5 mm long. Ovary stipitate, hairy or glandular; style 5.7-6.6 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, not beaked. Flowers in August, September and October. Occurs in the Eremaean and South-West Botanical Province, in the Coolgardie, Mallee and Esperance IBRA regions.