Hovea trisperma Benth. var. trisperma
Common Hovea

Scientific Description

Erect, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, simple, alternate, not continuous with stem, 20-85 mm long, 3-8 mm wide, glabrous, flat with recurved margins; margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules apparently absent even from the youngest leaves or present and persistent to older leaves, 3-3.5 mm long, without glands, ribless. Pedicel present, 2.5-3.7 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent, 0.8-2 mm long, glabrous, not striate. Calyx 6.5-8 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 11-14.2 mm long, multicoloured, mostly purple or blue, with some purple or blue spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 10.5-14 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 8.5-10 mm long, not auriculate, keel 6.8-7 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.5-0.7 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen, 4.5-5.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous; style 6.5-7 mm long glabrous, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 10-11 mm long, 8-9 mm wide, stipitate or sessile or subsessile, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in May, June, July, August, September, October and November. Occurs in the South-West Botanical Province, in the Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest, Warren and Swan Coastal Plain IBRA regions.