Gastrolobium latifolium (R.Br.) G.Chandler & Crisp

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, 25-70 mm long, 10-40 mm wide, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves, 6-7 mm long, without glands, ribless. Pedicel present, (3.5-)4 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present but early deciduous. Calyx 11-14 mm long, not accrescent, glabrous, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 35-40 mm long, multicoloured, mostly yellow or red, with some yellow or red spots, streaks or blotches; claws present, glabrous, auriculate, wings 25-28 mm long, auriculate, keel 30-40 mm long, not beaked, auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 1.5-2 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments free (or united at the very base), 30-35 mm long. Ovary stipitate, hairy or glandular; style 26-32 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 15-20 mm long, 6-7 mm wide, stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, hairy, with simple hairs, not beaked. Flowers in August, September and October. Occurs in the South-West Botanical Province, in the Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest, Mallee and Esperance IBRA regions.