Christia australasica (Schindl.) Meeuwen

Scientific Description

Twining or climbing plants, herb. Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, compound, alternate, not continuous with stem, 20-60 mm long, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent, pinnately arranged, terminal leaflet present, stalked; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves, 3.5-4 mm long, without glands, ribbed. Pedicel present, 0.6-1.2 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles absent. Calyx 3-3.2 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 5-6 mm long, multicoloured, mostly pink, purple or blue, with some pink, purple or blue spots, streaks or blotches; claws absent; standard 4 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, not auriculate, keel 4-5.3 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen, 4-5 mm long. Ovary stipitate, glabrous; style 6 mm long, glabrous, not bearded, terete. Fruit indehiscent and not splitting into sections, stipitate, constricted between the seeds. Flowers in March, April and May. Occurs in the Northern Botanical Province, in the Northern Kimberley, Victoria Bonaparte and Central Kimberley IBRA regions.