Bossiaea aquifolium Benth. subsp. aquifolium

Scientific Description

Erect, tree or shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, not spiny, hairy or glabrous; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, simple, opposite, not continuous with stem, 8-15 mm long, 8-17 mm wide, glabrous, flat with flat margins; margins dentate; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves. Pedicel present, 5-6.5 mm long, glabrous. Calyx 4.5-5.7 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 12-20 mm long, multicoloured, mostly yellow, red, orange or brown, with some yellow, red, orange or brown spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 10-15 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 10-12 mm long, not auriculate, keel 10-15 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.4-0.5 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath, 9-11 mm long. Ovary stipitate, hairy or glandular; style 10.5-12 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 15-25 mm long, 6-12 mm wide, stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, flat or compressed, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in July, August, September, October and November. Occurs in the South-West Botanical Province, in the Jarrah Forest, Warren and Swan Coastal Plain IBRA regions.